First Knight
by Arwyn Whitesun
Summary: When Obi-Wan is asked to bless the marriage of a groom and his much younger bride, his and Anakin's fates are changed forever.
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: First Knight - Part One  
  
BY: Arwyn Whitesun  
  
SUMMARY: When Obi-Wan is asked to bless the marriage of a groom and his much younger bride, his and Anakin's fates are changed forever. Takes place a couple of years before the events of Attack of the Clones.  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The Great Flanneled One created Obi-Wan, Anakin and Yoda, et al. The rest belong to me. Definitely not making any money on this fic, but feedback can and will be accepted in lieu of payment. :)  
  
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Obi-Wan Kenobi looked over as Dynast K'lia, his white-bearded face stretched in a wide smile, raised his palsied hands to silence the chatter of the wedding guests.  
  
"Thank you all for coming," the Dynast began once the hall had quieted, "to the wedding feast of my daughter Onara to our new ally, Dynast Edress from Kindah Province."  
  
K'lia turned and gestured to where the bride and groom sat at the head of the bridal table. Edress' eyes, which were as sharp as a predatory bird, darted about the room as the guests slapped their tables in applause. His wrinkled lips stretched in a thin smile which, Obi-Wan noted, did not reach his eyes. The skin which peeked out from under his balding scalp glowed under the hall lights. During the long, stress-filled days and nights of negotiations, it had been Edress who had proven the most difficult, refusing to budge an inch on any of the compromises Obi-Wan had offered.  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Onara. She was still draped in the voluminous scarlet, emerald and gold robes that served as a wedding gown on Ahjane. He had yet to see her face for it was heavily veiled and had been since the wedding ceremony. Obi-Wan wasn't even sure if she had eaten anything of the wedding feast. He glanced at her plate. It looked as if she had eaten something, but not much judging by what remained.  
  
Obi-Wan then looked over at Anakin. From what he had heard, Onara wasn't much older than his seventeen year-old padawan who sat next to him, gleefully stuffing his face with the rich pastries the Ahjane seemed to favor.  
  
"We are also honored," Dynast K'lia went on in a quavering voice, "in having as our guests the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. As all of you know, the Jedi have been most instrumental in bringing about the peace accord between our warring provinces. If not for their tireless efforts, we would not be sitting here today, celebrating in peace the union of our two provinces through the marriage of my only child to Dynast Edress."  
  
Again the hall rang with the sound of hands slapping the table in appreciation. Obi-Wan inclined his head. It had been a long and exhausting round of negotiations but, with this marriage, there was now hope the decades long war between the two major provinces of the planet Ahjane was finally over and the rebuilding of its war-devastated cities and countrysides could begin. Obi-Wan allowed himself a brief moment of self- satisfaction, an indulgence he tried not to partake of too often. Dynast K'lia raised his hands again to silence the room.  
  
"Now, I would ask one last favor of our esteemed guests. As you know, tradition requires that the union of a groom and his virgin bride be blessed on their wedding night. Usually such an honor would fall upon a Dynast or some other high-ranking adult male, but I would like to ask the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to take upon himself the honor of blessing the marriage of my daughter."  
  
K'lia looked over at Obi-Wan, his white, bushy brows raised questioningly, his kindly, wrinkled face tilted. Obi-Wan was startled for a moment, for he had not expected this, but he could sense by the hush in the hall that what was being asked of him was of great importance. He nodded and smiled at K'lia.  
  
"It would be an honor to bless the marriage of your daughter and Dynast Edress," Obi-Wan replied.  
  
K'lia's face broke into a wide smile. The hall again rang with applause. Edress, however, was not smiling. He gave Obi-Wan a quick dark look, then turned away, leaning towards a yellow-eyed, axe-faced man who sat next to him. Edress whispered something in the man's ear. The man glared at Obi- Wan. Then a sudden hard slap on Obi-Wan's shoulder turned his attention away from the two men.  
  
"I hope you've brushed up on your wedding blessings, Master," Anakin said, his blue eyes flashing with humor.  
  
"Actually, I have never blessed nor officiated in any capacity at a wedding, Padawan," Obi-Wan said in a low voice, "but I'm sure Dynast K'lia, aware as he is of our ignorance of Ahjane wedding customs, will brief me on what it is I'm required to say."  
  
"You better hope so, Master, because if you say the wrong thing, you might just start the war over."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned at Anakin who laughed softly. He turned away from his apprentice as K'lia approached. Obi-Wan rose from his chair to greet the Dynast.  
  
"Thank you, Master Kenobi," K'lia said as he took Obi-Wan's hands, "for agreeing to the blessing of my daughter's wedding. I can not express to you the great honor you have bestowed upon my family."  
  
"You're welcome, Dynast K'lia." Obi-Wan said as the Dynast released his hands.  
  
Obi-Wan then cleared his throat for he was not sure if he should bring the matter up but he was unable to get the look on Edress' face out of his mind.  
  
"Excuse me, Dynast K'lia, but is Dynast Edress in agreement with my blessing of his marriage to Onara? Perhaps he would prefer to have someone else."  
  
K'lia chuckled. "You are very observant, Master Jedi. Edress was hoping his friend, Jerule, would be the one to bless the marriage. Next to myself and Edress, he is the highest ranking adult male in attendance. However, as father of the bride, it is my right to choose who will bless the marriage. And I choose you."  
  
"Then if it is your wish, Dynast, I humbly accept the honor," Obi-Wan replied.  
  
"Excellent!" K'lia said heartily. "The blessing ceremony will take place at sundown. I will send my manservant over to your quarters. He will help you prepare."  
  
Obi-Wan bowed. K'lia turned away and went over to where Onara and Edress were rising from the table. The three, along with the rest of the wedding guests, filed out of the hall. Obi-Wan and Anakin, except for a few servants who began to clean up, were soon left alone.  
  
"I hope this blessing ceremony doesn't take long, Master," Anakin said, a slight frown creasing his forehead.  
  
Obi-Wan looked up at his apprentice. Anakin had out-stripped him in height some years ago, but Obi-Wan still found it a bit unsettling to have to look up at him. He smiled, put his hand on Anakin's shoulder and guided him out of the hall to the building where their quarters were located. He was well aware his padawan was eager to return to Coruscant and Obi-Wan shared that eagerness. They had been away far too long.  
  
"It shouldn't, Padawan." He squeezed Anakin's shoulder. "How long can it take just to say a few words?"  
  
---------------  
  
"What?" Obi-Wan shouted.  
  
Simtro backed away from where the Jedi was sitting on the sofa. He had come, as instructed by Dynast K'lia, to prepare him for the blessing ceremony. The Jedi had listened quietly and attentively; that is until Simtro had started to explain the details concerning the blessing ceremony. That was when the Jedi's blue-gray eyes had flared and he had shouted at Simtro.  
  
"You're kidding, right?" he went on, his voice rising.  
  
Simtro glanced over at the Jedi's apprentice who was sitting next to him. The boy was smiling and seemed to be taking great delight in his master's loss of composure. Simtro looked back at the Jedi.  
  
"Kidding?" he said, his voice twisting with confusion. "I'm sorry, but I do not know what you mean by 'kidding'."  
  
"You're joking," Obi-Wan pressed him. "It's a joke or a----"  
  
"No, no, no, it is not a joke, Master Jedi," Simtro quickly said. "I am quite serious. The blessing ceremony goes back thousands of years. It is very sacred. I would not joke about such a thing."  
  
The Jedi looked over at his apprentice. The boy was grinning broadly now. The Jedi glared at him, then turned back to Simtro, his eyes darkening.  
  
"But, this can't be right. I can not believe Dynast K'lia would sanction my- ---"  
  
"But, Master," the young Jedi interrupted, a huge grin on his face, "you've always said we must keep an open mind when dealing with other cultures. That we must not judge others by our standards and morals."  
  
"Yes, Padawan," the Jedi said sharply, "I know I've said that, but this..." The Jedi shook his head as he looked over at Simtro. "Are you absolutely certain that is what the blessing ceremony entails? Perhaps you're thinking of some other ceremony?"  
  
Simtro shook his head. "There is no other blessing ceremony, Master Jedi."  
  
The Jedi sighed heavily as he stared down at his hands which were clasped before him. Then he looked up at Simtro.  
  
"What would happen if I refused?"  
  
"Refused? I do not understand?"  
  
"If I didn't go through with the ceremony?"  
  
Simtro's eyes widened. "Oh, no, no, no! You must not do that! It would be a great dishonor and would shame Dynast K'lia. You can not refuse. You have agreed. It is too late."  
  
The Jedi sighed again. Then he looked over at his apprentice.  
  
"I must talk to Master Yoda about this." He glanced at Simtro as he rose from the sofa. "Please excuse me."  
  
The Jedi strode quickly towards one of the sleeping chambers. Simtro watched the door slide shut behind him, then turned to the Jedi's apprentice.  
  
"I do not understand? What is wrong with him?"  
  
The youth grinned at Simtro, his blue eyes sparkling.  
  
"Well, when my Master agreed to bless the marriage of Onara and Dynast Edress, he didn't know it meant he would have to deflower a virgin bride."  
  
Then the youth burst out laughing, slapping his knee. Simtro could only stare dumbfounded at the hysterical Jedi.  
  
To be continued.... 


	2. Part Two

TITLE: First Knight - Part Two BY: Arwyn Whitesun  
  
Disclaimer and Other Info in Part One  
  
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"Agreed to this you did?"  
  
"Yes, Master Yoda, but that was before I knew---"  
  
"Then go through with it you must."  
  
Obi-Wan stared at the flickering blue hologram of Master Yoda which was being transmitted from Coruscant on Obi-Wan's portable transceiver. He could not believe Yoda was countenancing this barbaric ritual.  
  
"Master, perhaps you did not hear what I said," Obi-Wan said slowly, a muscle in his jaw working. "I am being asked to---"  
  
"Heard you I did," Yoda snapped. "Not that old am I."  
  
"Forgive me, Master," Obi-Wan said. He took a deep breath. "But, surely you can see that I can't possibly go through----"  
  
"Unable to physically? Is that what you are saying?"  
  
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "No, of course not."  
  
"Then problem I see not. This blessing ceremony agreed to you did. To back out would be dishonorable. Not worthy of a Jedi."  
  
"Is it worthy of a Jedi to take the virginity of a bride on her wedding night?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice sharper than he had intended.  
  
Yoda's eyes narrowed and Obi-Wan watched as he banged his walking stick on the floor of wherever he was in the Temple.  
  
"In this context? Yes! To the Ahjane a great honor this is. Especially since Jedi are you. Because of your connection to the Force, believe they do that your coupling with the bride on her wedding night will the fertility of the marriage ensure. But, if thorough enough research you had done before the mission, this you would have known."  
  
Obi-Wan lowered his eyes, but inwardly he bristled at Yoda's rebuke. He prided himself on painstakingly researching the cultures and worlds he was going to visit before embarking on a mission, and he had done so with the Ahjane. However, he had concentrated the bulk of his research on their political, economic and military systems. But Yoda was right. Obi-Wan had not researched enough and, as a result, he was now in this predicament.  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
Obi-Wan raised his eyes.  
  
"Not fair was it to you such a thing to say," Yoda went on in a gentle voice. "That this would happen foresee you could not. But, happen it has and back out you can not."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
"Forbidden by the Code you are not you from taking part in this ceremony, since a Knight you now are," Yoda said and Obi-Wan could see the Jedi Master was trying to ease his anxiety.  
  
"I know, Master. But, I still do not wish to go through with it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Obi-Wan stared at Yoda. The answer should have been obvious. Although attachment and possession were forbidden to the Jedi, they were not a celibate order. However, the years of training and dedication required to become a Jedi usually lessened such desires. Yes, when Obi-wan was younger he had sometimes been distracted by the sight of a slender neck, or the sweet swelling of a bosom under the tunic of a fellow padawan, but he had always stuck to the Code.  
  
Then, his face flooding with heat, he recalled that was not true. And a name, long buried, burst free in his heart. Silia. And a memory of her in his arms blazed forth. The hidden memory exploded inside him like a supernova, unbidden, unwanted, and Obi-Wan felt himself caught in a whirlwind of memory as the sighs and the scents and the touch (oh, yes, the touch!) of that forbidden night swept over him.  
  
Dismayed at how quickly the long-suppressed, decades-old memory was overpowering him, Obi-Wan struggled to ease the hot rush of blood that surged through him. He swallowed heavily, his chest constricting. It was because of what had happened all those years ago that he was afraid to go through with this blessing ceremony. He glanced at Yoda and saw he was peering closely at him.  
  
"Master, I'm sorry, but I can not take such a thing lightly," Obi-Wan said, his voice tight. "Relations between a man and a woman should be more meaningful."  
  
"To the Ahjane very meaningful this blessing ceremony is."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. "Master---"  
  
"No use is there in going over this anymore, Obi-Wan. Clear your path is. Only following it now remains."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned. Easy enough for Yoda to say. He wasn't the one who had to go down that particular path. Then a thought occurred to Obi-Wan.  
  
"Master, I don't even know what she looks like."  
  
"Important is that?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"If attractive or unattractive you find her, a difference to you that would make?"  
  
"No, of course not," Obi-Wan said quickly, troubled that Yoda would think him so shallow. "Beauty is only a facade, Master. It is no more what a person is then the moon's reflection on the water is the moon itself."  
  
"Humph. Very pretty sentiment," Yoda grunted.  
  
He stared at Obi-Wan for a long moment, then released a long breath.  
  
"Very sacred to the Ahjane this ceremony is. Stress that enough, I can not. Great honor it is that asked you they did though see it their way you do not. But, go through with it you must. However, remember, Obi-Wan, what you see through your eyes is colored by your mind. See it only as dishonor, and dishonor it will be."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
Both Yoda and Obi-Wan remained silent for a moment, the little Jedi Master's image flickering before Obi-Wan's gaze. Obi-Wan was greatly disappointed for he had expected Yoda to side with him and help him find a way out of this mess. But, much to his surprise, the opposite had occurred.  
  
Ever since the death of Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan had grown closer to Yoda and, he supposed, thinking he had come to know the Jedi Master as well as he knew anyone, had assumed that Yoda felt the same way about sexual relations as he did; as something to be avoided at all costs. Obi-Wan grimaced as he thought again of Silia. Yes, avoided at all costs, for he was painfully aware of the terrible price that was sometimes paid when one succumbed to that most ancient and bedeviling of desires.  
  
"The bride, how old is she?" Yoda asked, breaking into Obi-Wan's thoughts.  
  
"I'm not sure, Master. Young."  
  
"If young this bride is, gentle with her you must be." Yoda tilted his head. "Lose yourself you might, if control you do not maintain. Human mating is so..." and Yoda's nose wrinkled. "...engulfing of the spirit. Separate your mind from your body, Obi-Wan, and get through this you will. No doubt of that I have."  
  
Obi-Wan gritted his teeth. He did not even want to go through with this blasted ritual, yet Yoda was comfortable enough with it to lecture Obi-Wan on how best to take a young woman's virginity. And what did Yoda know about human mating? And, worst of all, was it possible that despite everything he had done to conceal it, Yoda knew what had happened all those years ago between him and Silia?  
  
"I can assure you, Master Yoda, that I will," and Obi-Wan cleared his throat as he struggled to maintain an even tone to his voice, "control myself when the time comes."  
  
That is, he thought, if it ever got to that point and Obi-Wan certainly did not intend for it to get to that point.  
  
"Good," Yoda said. "Expect you and Padawan Skywalker back on Coruscant once you are done."  
  
Obi-Wan was then startled to see a twinkle in Yoda's frog-like eyes as a corner of his wide green mouth curled up.  
  
"May the Force be with you, Master Obi-Wan," he said and Obi-Wan was certain he heard laughter in the Jedi's Master's voice. Yoda's image shimmered briefly, then disappeared.  
  
Obi-Wan stared for a moment at the emptiness where Yoda's hologram had been. The muscles in his shoulders tightened, a sure sign he was distressed but struggling to control it. The entire situation was insane, but Yoda was right. Unless Obi-Wan could find a way out of this predicament that would not dishonor Dynast K'lia, he would have to go through with the ceremony.  
  
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. And what if it did come to that and he was left with no choice but go through with the ceremony? Would the same thing that had happened with Silia happen again?  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. He would not take that risk. He would not go through with the ceremony, but he would find some way of retaining K'lia's honor. He turned and headed back to the common room where Anakin and K'lia's manservant waited for him.  
  
To be continued... 


	3. Part Three

TITLE: First Knight - Part Three  
  
BY: Arwyn Whitesun  
  
Disclaimer and other info in Part One  
  
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"I will not go through with it."  
  
"Onara, please, my child. You must not flout tradition. You---."  
  
"No, Father. I have done all you requested of me, but I will not go through with the blessing ceremony."  
  
Onara stood defiantly, her head uplifted. She was still dressed in her wedding gown, but she had taken off her veils. She glared at her father from where he stood across the room, having decided, she imagined, that this was the safest distance from her.  
  
Onara glanced at the shards of the broken vase on the floor. She frowned. She had not meant to throw it against the wall. It had been childish of her, but it was all so terribly unfair! It was bad enough she had been torn from her studies at the Cloister to marry a man she did not know and who was old enough to be her grandfather. But to have to go through this ridiculous deflowering ritual. And with a Jedi no less! Onara firmed her jaw as she strengthened her resolve. No, she would not do it.  
  
Her father lifted his hands towards her and Onara's heart softened when she show how much they were trembling. He was not ill, just very old and it panged her to know that someday he would be gone. And who would rule their province then? She was his only child, but she would be spending the rest of her life in Kindah province as wife to Dynast Edress and would, therefore, forfeit all rights to inherit. However, if she were to have a child, he or she could inherit her father's province after his death.  
  
_If_ she were to have a child, for that was the problem and well she and her father knew it. Edress was very old, older even than K'lia, so there was a good chance he was incapable of fathering children. He had been married once before, but his wife had died childless. Therefore, Onara's father did not want to take any chances. He truly believed that if she spent her wedding night with someone as powerful as a Jedi Knight, she would have a fruitful marriage with Edress. Onara shook her head. How naive and terribly unmodern her father was.  
  
"Onara," K'lia began, his voice shaking slightly. "Please. Do not make this more difficult than it has to be."  
  
"I'm not the one making it difficult," Onara said. Then she sighed. "Father, please, try to understand," she went on in a gentler voice. "I have done everything you have asked of me. I have married Edress. I have given up my studies at the Cloister, and you know how much my studies meant to me. Now you ask me to give myself for one night to a man I don't even know and will never see again."  
  
"But, Onara, I've told you. Master Kenobi is a fine and honorable man. There is nothing to fear from him."  
  
"I'm not afraid of him," Onara said quickly, but her heart was racing. In truth she was afraid, very afraid, but she did not want her father to know that.  
  
K'lia smiled warmly at her. "I am glad to hear that. You are as brave as your mother was."  
  
"Thank you, Father. But, please, listen to me. The blessing ceremony is nothing more than an archaic ritual. It has no basis in scientific fact. Therefore, there is no reason for me to go through with it."  
  
K'lia's kindly face settled into a heap of puzzled creases. Onara was well aware her father did not put much stock in her modern ideas, but as she moved closer to him, she desperately hoped appealing to logic would sway him from forcing her to go through with the ceremony.  
  
"My research of the ancient records at the Cloister," she went on, her voice throbbing with conviction, "proves that the ceremony only came about because long ago some Dynast decided he wanted to be the first to sleep with young brides. He had his priests concoct this nonsense about the fecundity supposedly invested in a Dynast, or some other high-ranking male, and how that power could be transferred to the bride once he had lain with her. The blessing ceremony is nothing more than an excuse for dirty old men to lie with young virgins!"  
  
"Blasphemy!" a voice cried from behind Onara. She turned quickly and her heart thudded in her chest.  
  
Onara's grandmother stood in the doorway to Onara's chamber. The Lady Tsara wasn't a tall woman. The top of her head barely reached Onara's shoulder and Onara was not very tall herself, but the elderly woman was a formidable presence. Eyes as black and hard as ebony blazed in her wizened face as she advanced on Onara, her twin daughters trailing in her path.  
  
The faces of Onara's aunts were just as wrinkled and merciless as her grandmother's. All three were dressed in the flowing black and gold ceremonial robes required for their roles as arbiters of the blessing ceremony. Lady Tsara stopped in front of Onara, her thin, wrinkled hands clasped over her stomach. She glared up at her granddaughter then turned her piercing gaze towards her son.  
  
"I have warned you, K'lia. You have terribly spoiled this child. She has gotten away with everything from the day she was born."  
  
Lady Tsara glanced over at the shards of the broken vase on the floor. Her wrinkled lips twisted with disgust as she shook her head. She turned back to her son.  
  
"It's bad enough she's inherited her mother's stubbornness and frivolity," she went on sharply, "but you compound her transgressions by ignoring them. Now, you stand there and say nothing as she blasphemes."  
  
Tsara then looked over at Onara and her eyes, if it were possible, grew even sharper and more reproachful.  
  
"It's not blasphemy, Gran---" Onara began but her grandmother abruptly cut her off.  
  
"Silence, you sinful child! I will hear no more of your sacrilege." She turned and gestured towards Onara's aunts. "We have come to prepare you for the ceremony."  
  
Onara lifted her chin, but even as she tried to gather the strength to defy the woman who had terrified her since she was a child, she knew it was hopeless. No one, not her, not her father, not the other Dynasts, no one alive, or possibly dead, could stand up to the Lady Tsara and hope to prevail. She was as powerful as a winter storm and as relentless as death. Onara anxiously turned to her father for one last appeal, but Lady Tsara waved brusquely at him.  
  
"Get out, K'lia. We have work to do."  
  
K'lia looked helplessly over at Onara, then sighed heavily and, his bent shoulders even more rounded, left her alone with her aunts and grandmother.  
  
"Father, please," Onara cried after him but he was gone.  
  
She looked back at her grandmother. She saw no pity in those jet black eyes.  
  
"Ungrateful, selfish child," Tsara snapped, hurling the words like missiles. "You're just like your mother. All you think of is yourself."  
  
"Stop talking about my mother," Onara cried, naturally defensive of the mother she had never known. "She wasn't like that at all. Father says she was gentle and kind."  
  
Lady Tsara snorted. "He was blinded by his lust for her."  
  
"No. That's not true. She _was_ good."  
  
"And how would you know? She died when you were born. However, despite the fact she had no part in your upbringing, you are exactly like her. Spoiled and selfish."  
  
Onara felt the familiar burning in her chest. Her grandmother was always comparing her to her mother, telling Onara she had been a vain and frivolous woman who had seduced and bewitched her only son. However, her father told Onara she favored her mother, but he always talked about how beautiful and charming and spirited she had been.  
  
Onara did not think herself particularly beautiful or charming, but it pleased her that her father thought she was spirited for in Onara's mind that was exactly how a modern girl should be. Regrettably, her grandmother did not see it that way. She was very old-fashioned and bound to the Ahjane traditions, and in her mind the blessing ceremony was one of the most sacred of those traditions. And with that thought, Onara watched with a heavy heart as her aunts bustled about her chamber, preparing for the ceremony.  
  
"You should be honored," her grandmother said to her. "One of the fabled Jedi Knights will take your virginity and ensure the continuation of your family line. Any Ahjane bride would be grateful for such a privilege. The Jedi are not only powerful warriors, they are directly connected to the Force. Think of it! As a result of your lying with the Jedi, such power he will pass on to you. You will then, by your husband, give birth to strong daughters and sons who will ensure that our family and our province will continue to be the strongest on Ahjane."  
  
Onara frowned, even as she blushed at her grandmother's more salacious comments. It was that kind of boastful talk regarding the noble houses of Ahjane that had led to the war in the first place and millions had suffered and died because of the pride and hubris that her grandmother was displaying.  
  
Onara didn't care about ensuring the strength of her family or her province. She only wanted to return to her quiet life at the Cloister and finish her studies. But it was no use telling her grandmother that. She had thought Onara's father horribly misguided for letting Onara attend the Cloister in the first place. Lady Tasara considered it most improper for a high-born woman to sully herself with something as unnecessary as an education.  
  
"Grandmother, I don't even know what this Jedi looks like," Onara said. He had been at the wedding feast, but she had not been able to see anything under the layers of veils she had been required to wear as part of her wedding attire.  
  
Lady Tsara sniffed contemptuously. "What matters that? He is a man and in the dark they all look and feel the same."  
  
Onara blushed again. The thought of sleeping with any man, much less a Jedi, made her feel suddenly dizzy. Although she was eighteen, she had never even been kissed. It wasn't that she was unfamiliar with the mechanics of sex, but reading about sex was one thing, having it another.  
  
Lady Tsara's thin, creased lips twisted into a mockery of a smile as she peered up at Onara's face.  
  
"You blush," she said slyly. "Well, that is what we are here for, your aunts and I. To prepare you for what awaits you."  
  
Onara shook her head, but stopped when she saw her grandmother's painted-on brows lowering toward her eyes.  
  
"You _will_ go through with the ceremony, Onara," Lady Tsara snapped, her black eyes blazing. "I will stomach no more of your willful disobedience! You will not disgrace this family. You will lie with the Jedi tonight."  
  
Onara gazed at her grandmother for a moment, then slowly nodded, her eyes lowered. She did not want her grandmother to see the defiance that still boiled inside her. Onara knew she had no choice regarding her marriage to Dynast Edress; it was necessary to secure the peace between their provinces. But sleeping with this Jedi had nothing to do with politics or peace accords. It was only her father and her grandmother's outdated belief in the blessing ceremony that was forcing her to go through with it. It should have been abandoned years ago, but it still continued, especially within the families of the rich and powerful.  
  
Onara glanced over to where her aunts were tittering as they laid the blessing gown she was required to wear on her bed. It was the color of starlight and the fabric of which it was made so translucent Onara might as well not be wearing anything. Tears stung her eyes. No, she would not do it. She would not lie with the Jedi. She would find a way to avoid it. Somehow.  
  
To be continued... 


	4. Part Four

TITLE: First Knight - Part Four  
  
BY: Arwyn Whitesun  
  
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"Master, I don't think I've ever seen you look better."  
  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan growled, his eyes flashing a warning.  
  
Anakin only laughed which, Obi-Wan noted with no small degree of irritation, his Padawan had done a lot of the past few hours. When Obi-Wan had reluctantly agreed to at least, ostensibly, go through with the blessing ceremony, Simtro, K'lia's manservant, had gone into hyperdrive, and Obi-Wan and Anakin's quarters in the Dynast's palatial home was soon filled with servants running to and fro as they prepared for the ceremony. Unfortunately, most of those preparations had centered around Obi-Wan.  
  
The Jedi Knight had been bathed in scented water and massaged with exotic oils. The servants had trimmed his hair and beard, manicured his nails and had also tried, until Obi-Wan had finally had enough and shouted at them to leave him the Force alone or he would run them all through with his lightsaber, to kohl his eyes and curl his hair.  
  
The sight of the terrified servants tripping over each other to get away from his master had sent Anakin into a paroxysm of laughter. Collapsing onto the couch, he had laughed so hard his face had turned bright red, tears had streamed from his eyes, and Obi-Wan had been certain he was going to bust a gut.  
  
Which, considering how annoyed he had been with his Padawan, would not have upset Obi-Wan in the least. And, as he had watched Anakin rolling about on the couch, braying like a maddened gundark, Obi-Wan had decided that when next he saw Master Yoda he would suggest that another directive be added to the Code. A Jedi Shall Not Laugh. Now, Anakin seemed to have recovered enough of his Jedi dignity to at least have the good grace to only chuckle softly as he looked his master over now that the servants were done with him.  
  
"No, really, Master. You look great."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and looked at himself in the large mirror of his bedchamber. He frowned. He had insisted on wearing his Jedi clothes for the ceremony. The servants had, therefore, cleaned them while he had bathed and his boots had also been shined until they seemed to glow. His lightsaber hung from his belt, for he had also insisted on not being parted from it, but he could see no discernable change in his appearance. He turned back to Anakin.  
  
"Hmmm, if you say so, Anakin. Now, where did Simtro get off to."  
  
"He said he had to check on some final details with Lady Tsara."  
  
Obi-Wan adjusted his tunic. "Lady Tsara? Who is she?"  
  
"Don't know, Master. But Simtro said he'd return shortly."  
  
"Well, I hope he doesn't take too long."  
  
"Can't wait, eh, Master?"  
  
"Anakin, I've told you before I absolutely have no desire to----" but before Obi-Wan could finish, Simtro dashed through the door.  
  
"Master Jedi, we are almost ready," he said breathlessly.  
  
"Good," Obi-Wan said. "The sooner we get this over, the better."  
  
Anakin grinned over at Obi-Wan. "You know, if you like, Master, I'd be more than happy to take your place."  
  
Obi-Wan saw that Simtro was about to protest, so he quickly cut him off.  
  
"He's only kidding, I mean, joking, Simtro."  
  
Obi-Wan turned to Anakin and signaled with his eyes that from now on he was to cease his antics. Anakin rolled his eyes, but nodded to show he would obey. Simtro bowed and gestured for Obi-Wan and Anakin to precede him out the door. The three made their way down a series of long corridors until they came to a large, ornately decorated door. Simtro opened it. The three entered and Anakin gasped.  
  
Obi-Wan shared Anakin's astonishment. The room wasn't very big. Actually, it was quite small, but it was the contents of the room that drew one's attention. There was an unlit fireplace on the left. Next to it stood a bloodwood table upon which was a bottle of wine, two golden cups and a silver platter heaped with fruits, cheese and bread.  
  
Dozens of candles provided the only illumination and bouquets of flowers were scattered about the room, their mingled scents causing Obi-Wan's head to spin. There was a large window to the right through which he could see the sun was nearly set, the warm palate of the amber and ginger-colored sky echoing the luxurious colors of the room. But what dominated the room was the bed. Surrounded by a canopy of pale gold iridescent curtains, Obi-Wan could see the bed was not only huge, it looked alluringly soft. He tried to swallow in a throat gone suddenly dry.  
  
"Is it to your liking, Master Jedi," Simtro asked him.  
  
Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Umm, yes. It's...uh...it's fine."  
  
"Good, I will go and let the others know we are ready."  
  
Simtro bowed, turned and left the room. Anakin looked slowly around.  
  
"Wow, Master. This is some set-up."  
  
He walked over and picked up the bottle of wine.  
  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan warned him.  
  
"I was only going to see what year it was, Master."  
  
Anakin put the bottle back on the table. He walked over to Obi-Wan, his brow furrowed.  
  
"Are you all right, Master?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You don't look so good. And you're sweating."  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Are you sure, Master?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure," Obi-Wan snapped. Then he sighed. "Forgive me, Anakin. It's just---"  
  
Obi-Wan stopped. As much as he longed to share his anxieties with someone, the last person he would have chosen to do that with was Anakin. He was Anakin's master and it was his responsibility to guide his Padawan along the sometimes difficult path that would lead to his someday becoming a Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan, therefore, could never reveal to Anakin that once he had strayed from that path, consumed as he had been by a passion that had nearly destroyed him.  
  
"I'm fine, Anakin. Really. But, despite what Master Yoda says and the Ahjane believe, this is---"  
  
"Sacrilege!"  
  
Obi-Wan turned quickly towards the source of that shrill cry. He noted that as Anakin whirled around his hand strayed briefly to his lightsaber. They both watched as a tiny elderly woman with a harsh, wrinkled face and dressed in voluminous black and gold robes marched into the room. She was accompanied by Simtro, Dynast K'lia and Dynast Edress. Her dark, angry eyes burned as she stopped in front of Obi-Wan.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
The woman gestured at his clothes. "This? Why are you dressed like that?"  
  
"These are my clothes."  
  
The woman turned towards K'lia. "Did you have anything to do with this?"  
  
Obi-Wan was surprised to see the normally dignified man cowering, his eyes darting as if seeking escape.  
  
"No, Mother. I knew nothing about it."  
  
The woman turned back and glared at Simtro. "You! You were supposed to prepare him."  
  
"Yes, Lady Tsara."  
  
"Well?" she snapped.  
  
"He insisted on wearing his own clothes, m'lady."  
  
The woman turned back to Obi-Wan. Her creased lips twisted as if she were searching for words harsh enough to scold him with. Then she lifted her chins and glared up at him.  
  
"First my willful granddaughter. Now you. What is happening to the world? Traditions trampled on as if they were nothing but garbage."  
  
She stamped her foot and glared at everyone in the room.  
  
"Well, there's nothing to be done about it now," she went on. "It's nearly sunset." Then a sly look stole across her pruned face. "No matter. You'll soon be out of those clothes."  
  
She cackled horribly for a moment, then ceased laughing just as suddenly as she had started. She looked over at Anakin.  
  
"Who are you? Are you his son?"  
  
"What?" Then Anakin smiled as he looked over at Obi-Wan. "Well, he is like a father to me."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened, his heart warming at Anakin's words. Although their Padawan/Master relationship over the last few years had been more tempestuous than most, Obi-Wan truly did care for the boy. Now he saw that Anakin felt the same. Obi-Wan returned his smile. Anakin looked back at Lady Tsara.  
  
"But, no, I'm not his son. I'm his apprentice."  
  
"Good enough. You will serve as honor guard."  
  
"Honor guard?"  
  
"Yes. You will wait outside the chamber during the night to serve as witness to the blessing ceremony."  
  
"Is that really necessary?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
The thought of Anakin lurking outside the bedchamber made Obi-Wan more than uncomfortable. It was unseemly and he'd much prefer his Padawan be as far away from this nonsense as possible.  
  
"Is it necessary?" Lady Tsara sneered. "No, Master Jedi, it is not necessary. It is mandatory! Now, no more will I hear from you or anyone else as to how this ceremony will be conducted! It has been tainted enough with all these blasphemous changes. Your apprentice _will_ stand as honor guard."  
  
Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan and grinned.  
  
"And I will sit with him." Lady Tsara went on.  
  
Obi-Wan struggled to hide a smile as Anakin's face suddenly fell.  
  
"Come," Lady Tsara said imperiously to Anakin. "It is time. You will accompany me to Onara's chamber and escort her back here."  
  
She turned and made her way out of the bridal chamber. Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan who nodded for him to go. Anakin returned the nod and dutifully followed Lady Tsara. Once they were gone, K'lia cleared his throat as he looked uncomfortably over at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Please forgive my mother, Master Kenobi. She's very traditional. This blessing ceremony means a lot to her. She meant no offense."  
  
"No need to apologize, Dynast K'lia."  
  
"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have one final thing to do before the ceremony."  
  
He turned and left the room. Obi-Wan and Edress were alone.  
  
"Dynast Edress?"  
  
"Yes, Master Kenobi?"  
  
"I just want to say that...." Obi-Wan stopped. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say. What did one say to the husband of a bride you were expected to bed?  
  
"You don't have to say anything, Master Jedi," Edress said as he reached into a pocket of his green silk tunic and took out a small silver box. "You were chosen and I must accept that. I would have preferred that someone else do it, but if it must be you that breaks her in," and he shrugged, "well, so be it. As long as someone does it."  
  
He opened the box, pinched up some of the yellow powdery content and snorted it quickly into his nose. He closed the box and slipped it back into his pocket.  
  
"Personally," Edress sniffed noisily, "I find the idea of bedding virgins revolting. They're so inexperienced. Like making love to a corpse."  
  
Edress leaned closer and Obi-Wan could smell stale wine, thick and cloying, on his breath.  
  
"Oh, and Master Jedi, when you do take her to bed, could you also see if you could break her spirit? I've heard she's rather strong-willed and independent-minded for a female. It's all K'lia's fault, you know. Letting her attend the Cloister." Edress snorted. "Can you imagine anything so ludicrous as a woman with an education? It makes about as much sense as the Maker giving us men nipples."  
  
Edress shook his head and rolled his beady, black eyes. Obi-Wan only stared coldly at him. Over the long days and nights of peace negotiations, he had come to dislike Edress very much for he was clearly an ambitious and dishonorable man whose primary concern during the negotiations had clearly not been for the welfare of his people but for how much of his lands and holdings he would keep as a result of the accord.  
  
Although he had yet to meet Onara, Obi-Wan found himself feeling sorry for her, having been forced for political reasons to marry such a man. But, before he could dwell on his thoughts any further, he heard the distant sound of music coming down the hall.  
  
------------  
  
Onara searched frantically through her closet. Her grandmother would be back soon and if she were to discover what Onara was doing, there would be hell to pay, for both her and her aunts. Finally Onara found the dress she was looking for. She had worn it to the last Solstice Festival. She pulled it out and showed it to her aunts. The two elderly women exchanged worried glances.  
  
"It's not as pretty as the blessing gown," one of them commented.  
  
"And the Jedi won't be able to see your lovely body," the other observed.  
  
Onara rolled her eyes. That was exactly her intention. The moment her grandmother had left her chamber, Onara had gone to work on her aunts. When they weren't in the presence of their mother, the two women were actually quite kind to her. Both had never married and, living as they did under their mother's thumb, did not have much of a life. Therefore, they lived vicariously through others. Over the years, Onara had discovered how to manipulate them enough to usually get what she wanted. And what she wanted right now was to not have to wear that shameless, see-through blessing gown.  
  
"And if Mother should find out you switched dresses...?" The aunt who had spoken first covered her mouth in horror.  
  
Onara quickly put the Solstice Festival dress on over her undergarments.  
  
"She won't," she quickly assured her aunts. "When grandmother comes back I'll be wearing the robe and she won't know the difference."  
  
She looked over at the long, red-gold and lavishly decorated ceremonial robe which was draped over a chair.  
  
"Well," the second aunt said cautiously. She glanced at her sister and the two of them shrugged.  
  
"I suppose it's all right," they said together. Then the two leaned towards each other.  
  
"Especially since that Jedi will soon have her out of that dress anyway," one whispered to the other.  
  
They clasped hands and giggled lewdly. Onara ignored them as she pushed her feet into her satin slippers. The two had been sniggling like that for the last few hours. Once her slippers were on, she adjusted the dress about her body. It was a soft violet silk, cinched snugly about her waist and billowing slightly over her hips. The rose-bud garlanded hem fell just to her ankles. The bodice was a little tight because Onara's breasts had grown since she last wore it and, she noted frowning, it was also cut quite low, therefore her bosom swelled up more than she would have liked, but it would have to do. She didn't have time to find another. The aunts then finished with her hair, slipping in a few ice-diamond silver combs in strategic places. Onara usually wore her thick, black hair loose about her shoulders, but her aunts had insisted upon putting it up for the ceremony.  
  
"Hurry," her aunts cried once they were done with her hair. "Mother will be back any minute."  
  
Onara picked up the robe. It was very heavy and the sleeves were long and cumbersome. The aunts rushed over and helped her put it on. Onara closed the last clasp with trembling fingers and, just in time, for the door to her room opened and her grandmother swept in. But she wasn't alone.  
  
A tall, striking young man with intense blues eyes, short blonde hair, and sporting a braid came in with her. Onara recognized his Jedi clothing and for a moment wondered if he was the one she was supposed to lie with. Then she remembered there were two Jedi.  
  
"Good. You're ready." Lady Tsara grumbled at Onara. "I was absolutely certain I'd come here and find you dawdling about."  
  
She waved a hand at the young Jedi. "This is Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Master's apprentice."  
  
Onara looked up at the handsome youth. "A pleasure to meet you, Jedi Skywalker."  
  
The Jedi didn't say anything. He only stared at Onara as if she had grown another head. She frowned at him. Was he simple-minded? She heard her aunts tittering behind her. She looked back at them.  
  
"Look at his expression," one of the aunts snickered. "He would bed her right now if he could---,"  
  
"---And leave nothing for his master to do," the other finished.  
  
They quickly moved up and took Onara by the arms.  
  
"We'd best get her out of here, Mother, before the apprentice does what only the master should do," they chorused.  
  
"Hmmph," was all Lady Tsara said as Onara's aunts led her out of her chamber.  
  
The young Jedi continued to gape at Onara as she walked past him. Her grandmother poked him roughly in the side to get him moving. He jumped, then fell into step beside them, but out of the corner of her eye Onara saw him stealing glances at her.  
  
As they made their way down the corridor they were joined by a group of servants singing and playing instruments. The song they sang was in the ancient tongue and spoke of the love between a young maiden and her warrior- poet lover. Onara blushed fiercely for the song left out no details regarding the passionate lovemaking of the two.  
  
As she, the servants, her aunts, her grandmother, and the young Jedi wound their way through the corridors, Onara began to feel as if her head was floating away from her body. Then she recalled she hadn't eaten much at the wedding banquet. Finally, but still too soon, they arrived at the foyer of the bridal chamber. Her father was standing in front of the closed door. He smiled warmly at her as he took her arm. Once the song was done, Lady Tsara turned to the young Jedi and nodded towards the door.  
  
"Open it."  
  
He bowed and did so. Onara stepped into the bridal chamber. She saw Edress standing to her left. He inclined his head to her, but she saw no welcome in those cold black eyes. Onara quickly looked away from him, averting her eyes from the bed. She felt herself becoming even dizzier from the oppressive smell of all the flowers in the room. Then she saw a man standing alone in front of the large window to her right. His back was to the room. The Jedi.  
  
Onara shivered. Her father squeezed her arm. She looked up at him and tried to smile, but her face was frozen. He gently led her over to the window. The Jedi turned around but Onara could not see his face for the setting sun blazed behind him.  
  
"Master Kenobi," her father said, his eyes full of warmth and love as he gazed down at her. "May I present my daughter and my only child, Onara. I entrust her to you this night of nights. I ask that you bless her marriage to Dynast Edress by taking from her that gift which, once given, can never be returned."  
  
The Jedi moved away from the window. Onara took a deep breath, looked up into his eyes and fainted.  
  
To be continued.... 


	5. Part Five

TITLE: First Knight - Part Five BY: Arwyn Whitesun  
  
Onara slowly awoke. She drew in a deep breath, not wanting to wake too quickly. Although she knew the longer she tarried in bed the later she'd arrived at the dormitory kitchen and, as a result, would probably miss breakfast, she also cherished this time alone for the Cloister was always bustling with students, professors, proctors and visiting scholars. Stretching deliciously, her eyes still closed, she slid her arms up the smooth, silk pillows.  
  
Silk pillows! Her heart thumped hard in her chest and her eyes snapped open. Instead of the bare white walls of her chamber at the Cloister, which should have been glowing from the light of the rising sun, she saw only darkness highlighted by the flickering light of dozens of candles. Then she remembered. It was her wedding night and she was in the bridal chamber where she was supposed to----.  
  
Her eyes widened and she quickly sat up, gasping when she saw a shadowed shape sitting in a chair across the room.  
  
"Don't be afraid," the shape said in a strangely accented, but melodic voice.  
  
"I'm not," Onara responded quickly, but her heart was pounding.  
  
"Of course you're not," the man said softly, but she could hear in his voice that he did not believe her.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked him.  
  
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."  
  
"You're the Jedi I'm supposed to..." Onara stopped and swallowed thickly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You fainted."  
  
"Fainted?"  
  
The Jedi nodded. Onara could barely make out his face for he was sitting far enough away he was mostly in shadow. However, she was able to see his eyes and they glimmered in the candlelight. They were oddly-colored to her since most Ahjane had dark eyes. But they were also mesmerizing. Not blue, not gray, but something in between.  
  
"The physician said you would be fine," he went on. "You just needed to eat something."  
  
"The physician? She was here?"  
  
"Your father summoned her. But you needn't worry. There's nothing wrong with you but some slightly elevated stress levels and a lack of nutrients. Your father, however, was not entirely convinced you were all right. He wanted to call off the blessing ceremony."  
  
Onara leaned forward. "He did? But...why am I, why are you, why are we---- ?"  
  
"Your grandmother insisted we go through with it," the Jedi said. "Particularly when she learned that my apprentice and I are leaving for Coruscant tomorrow." The Jedi stopped for a moment. "And, I'm afraid," he went on in a low voice, "she was under the impression you fainted on purpose and, therefore, would not hear of the ceremony being called off."  
  
"But that's not true!" Onara cried. "I didn't do it on purpose. Why, I've never fainted before in my life. I wouldn't even know how to faint."  
  
The Jedi shrugged. "Nevertheless, that was her assessment of the situation."  
  
Onara looked down at her lap and sighed. How could her grandmother think her so selfish as to pretend to faint, upsetting her poor father in the process. Then Onara noted that not only had her hair been let down, the ends sweeping across her shoulders, but her ceremonial robe had been removed. She drew in a sharp breath as she looked at the Solstice Festival dress she had chosen to wear instead of the blessing gown.  
  
"Oh, no! My grandmother! Did she see---?"  
  
The Jedi laughed softly. "Yes, I'm afraid she did see your dress."  
  
"And what did she---?"  
  
"You don't want to know."  
  
Onara clasped her hands together and squeezed them. "I hope she doesn't take it out on my aunts. It wasn't their fault. It was all my doing."  
  
"I wouldn't worry. With everything that's happened, I think your grandmother is just happy you and I are finally alone."  
  
Onara trembled slightly at his words. Yes, they were alone and, although she was in the bed and he was sitting in a chair, they were still together in a room in which they were expected to make love. She glanced over and saw he was watching her closely. Her cheeks burned and she quickly looked away from him.  
  
"You're supposed to eat something now that you're awake," he went on.  
  
Onara looked back at him. "I'm not hungry." Then her stomach rumbled.  
  
"Of course you're not," the Jedi said, a touch of humor in his voice. "But, I think it wise if you did try to eat something."  
  
Onara shook her head fiercely. She didn't want to eat. She wanted to get out of here. She wanted to be where she had first thought she was, in her chamber at the Cloister getting ready for another day of classes. She wanted to be free, free to go where she wanted and live the life she chose and not have to be married to a horrible, greedy, old man who did not love her and never would.  
  
But, most of all, she wanted the Jedi to stop looking at her with those strangely alluring eyes of his. As he stared at her, he shifted slightly in his chair and Onara heard him sigh heavily. Then he spoke again and she was annoyed to hear his tone was now that of a parent speaking to a willful, disobedient child.  
  
"Milady, the physician left strict instructions you were to eat something once you had awakened. And I promised your father you would. Therefore, you will eat. Or I will see to it personally that you do."  
  
Onara glared at him and shook her head. The Jedi sighed again and lifted his hand. Onara frowned, wondering what he was doing. Then she gasped as she saw the platter of food on the table rise in the air and float leisurely over to her. As the Jedi moved his hand, so did the platter until it was just in front of her. He slowly lowered his hand and the platter landed gently on the bed next to her. Onara, her mouth open, looked down at the food, then over at him. She knew about the Force and the ability of the Jedi to manipulate it, but she had never seen it done with her own eyes. It was nothing short of miraculous.  
  
"Now, eat, before you faint again," the Jedi said firmly.  
  
Onara quickly closed her mouth and crossed her arms under her breasts. She slowly shook her head. Although she was quite hungry, if he thought she was going to eat so they could go through with the ceremony, he was grievously mistaken. She was not going to cooperate and, if she happened to faint again, so be it. Then she wondered if that was such a good idea. He could take advantage of her while she was unconscious, though she did not think a Jedi Knight would be so dishonorable.  
  
Onara bit her lip. On the other hand, if he truly was honorable he never would have agreed to go through with the blessing ceremony in the first place. He had to be educated since he was a Jedi, so he had to know as well as she that the blessing ceremony was nothing more than an archaic, barbaric ritual. But if that was the case, why had he agreed to go through with it? Then the answer came to her. He was a man and all men were alike. Or so her aunts had often told her. Men wanted only one thing and one thing only. Sex.  
  
Onara mentally shrugged. She had never seen any reason to disbelieve her aunts. From her own observations their premise had proven more than correct. Sex did seem to be all men thought about. Therefore, Onara deduced, even the fabled Jedi, despite being renowned for their steadfast devotion to the Force, didn't necessarily have to be immune to such needs. She lifted her chin and firmed her jaw as she looked over at him. Well, she thought, he would just have to satisfy his base, animal urges someplace else.  
  
The Jedi continued to stare at her, his strangely-colored eyes boring into hers. Onara found herself squirming slightly, a curious warmth spreading through her the longer he looked at her. Then she watched, her heart thudding, as a slice of bluefruit rose slowly from the platter. It stopped, hovering just in front of her mouth. She looked over at the Jedi. One of his hands was lifted, the palm facing her.  
  
"Eat," he commanded.  
  
Onara pressed her lips tightly together and shook her head. A corner of the Jedi's mouth curled up. While he kept the piece of bluefruit floating in front of her mouth with his right hand, he raised his left hand and curled the fingers slightly.  
  
Onara's heart raced when she felt the touch of an invisible hand on her jaw. Slowly, but gently, those phantom fingers pulled at her mouth. She struggled to keep it closed, her head spinning at the implications of what the Jedi was doing by touching her without touching her, but he was too strong.  
  
Her mouth dropped open and, when it did, the piece of fruit slipped between her lips. Onara was about to spit it out, but the taste of it was so sweet and juicy and delicious, and she was so terribly hungry, she found herself eagerly chewing it.  
  
"That's better," the Jedi said as he lowered his hands, his eyes seeming to laugh at her as she swallowed the fruit.  
  
Onara only glared at him as she quickly picked up another piece of fruit and stuffed it into her mouth. Before she knew it she was devouring all the food on the platter. She moaned lustily as she bit into the firm, sweet flesh of a popoya. She had never realized how good even the simplest food tasted when one was practically starving.  
  
"Don't eat so fast," the Jedi said. "And you should wash that down with something."  
  
As Onara licked the sticky popoya juice from her fingers, she watched as the Jedi used his Force powers to pour some wine into a cup. Once it was full, the golden cup floated over to her, glimmering in the candlelight. She grabbed it and gulped down the sweet tasting wine and, as she drank, wondered if the Jedi was just terribly lazy or trying to impress her with his powers for he hadn't moved an inch from that chair which, she noted, was quite some distance away from her. As she finished the wine, she suddenly had the disquieting thought he was trying to keep as far away from her as possible.  
  
She put the empty goblet on the bed. Without trying to appear to be doing so, she lifted each arm and sniffed about her body. Before coming to the chamber she had been bathed in water scented with moon lilies and her body perfumed with the attar of the passion rose; therefore she didn't think she was offending him with her body odor. She lifted her hand and held it front of her face, breathing on her palm. Her breath did smell of cheese and wine, but he had been sitting across the room well before she had started eating. Then she heard the Jedi laughing. She looked over at him.  
  
"Don't worry, milady. That is not why I'm sitting over here."  
  
Onara quickly lowered her hand and scowled at him. "It's no concern of mine as to why you're sitting over there."  
  
"Of course it's not."  
  
Onara frowned. That was the third time he had said that. It was almost as if he knew exactly what she was thinking and, most infuriating of all, wanted her to know he did.  
  
"We should get something straight right away, Master Kenobi," she said crisply.  
  
"Obi-Wan."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Please call me Obi-Wan."  
  
Onara cleared her throat. "Yes, well, Master Obi-Wan, you should know I have no intention of going through with this ridiculous blessing ceremony. My father and grandmother may be old-fashioned, but I am not. I would imagine someone like you, coming from Coruscant and being a Jedi Knight and all, must think we Ahjane quaint and backwards, possibly even barbaric. But I can assure you I am neither quaint nor barbaric. I'm very modern, and I have very modern ideas."  
  
"Oh, of that I have no doubt," Obi-Wan responded.  
  
Onara frowned as she peered at him. Most of his face was still hidden in the shadows of the room so she couldn't tell if he was teasing her or not.  
  
"Yes, well, anyway," she said, "to make a long story short, I'm not going to...to..."  
  
She blushed fiercely, then continued. "I'm not going to, well, you know. Do that. With you. At all."  
  
She looked over at the Jedi and watched as he slowly rose from the chair and walked over to the bed. Onara's heart pounded as he approached. Was he going to do it now? Would he take her without a word? As he moved closer, Onara drew back against the pillows, both fear and an unexpected thrill of anticipation thrumming through her body.  
  
The Jedi stopped next to the bed, his gaze sweeping across her face, then down---and Onara's breath caught sharply in her throat---to her bosom which, she was uncomfortably aware, was swelling out of the bodice of her gown. His eyes lingered on her breasts for a moment, then he looked back up into her face.  
  
Now that Onara could see him clearly she was taken aback at how handsome he was for she'd only had a glimpse of him before she had lost consciousness. He was of medium height and build, but she sensed barely restrained power and strength emanating from his body. The candlelight shimmered on his ginger-colored hair which lay thick upon his neck. Firm lips were surrounded by a neatly-trimmed beard. And his eyes. Onara gazed up into his blue-gray eyes and felt as if she were falling into the sky.  
  
"You needn't worry, milady," he said, his voice sounding richer and warmer now that he was closer to her. "I have no intention of going through with the ceremony."  
  
"You don't?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"But why?"  
  
One of his eyebrows arched sharply up. "Why?" He shrugged. "Because I do not wish to."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
The Jedi's face clouded for a moment.  
  
"I have my reasons," he said tightly.  
  
"But, you're a man."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Well, men are supposed to want...to want to do it. That's all they think about. Isn't it?"  
  
"But I'm a Jedi."  
  
"So?"  
  
Obi-Wan stared at Onara for a long moment. Then he surprised her by throwing back his head and laughing. Onara's brow furrowed. She hadn't thought she had said anything funny. Perhaps he was laughing at her. The Jedi shook his head.  
  
"Don't worry. I'm not laughing at you."  
  
Onara eyes widened and she wondered if it was true what people said; that the Jedi could read minds.  
  
"It's what you said," he went on smiling. "You reminded me that we Jedi sometimes forget that we are, despite our gifts, no different than anyone else. A lesson worthy of Master Yoda. Thank you, milady."  
  
He bowed to her. Onara instinctively inclined her head. However, she had no idea who this Master Yoda was or what lesson the Jedi was talking about and, to be perfectly honest, she didn't care. She just wanted to know if he meant what he said. That he did not want to go through with the ceremony.  
  
"Hmmm. Well, you're welcome, Master Obi-Wan. By the way, why do you keep calling me milady?"  
  
"You're married to Dynast Edress. That makes you a Dynastess, does it not?"  
  
"I'm not officially his wife until tomorrow. Not until you..." Onara stopped and looked down, her cheeks burning.  
  
"Are you saying that if I don't make love to you, you will not be married to him?"  
  
Onara looked up. The Jedi was frowning.  
  
"No, I'll still be married to him," she said. "At least I think I will. Actually, I'm not sure." She shrugged. "No one has ever not gone through with the blessing ceremony before."  
  
"Then we shall be the first," he said.  
  
"Yes, it would seem so."  
  
The Jedi leaned over and put out his hand. "Then we are both agreed that neither of us want to go through with it?"  
  
Onara took his hand. "Yes, we are both agreed."  
  
He smiled and squeezed her hand. Onara was suddenly aware of many things as he continued to hold her hand; the calluses on his palm, the warm pulse of his heartbeat in his fingers, the sudden heat that rushed through her body at his touch. Her own heart was now beating so hard she wondered if he could feel it through her hand. But if he did, he gave no sign. He pulled his hand away and Onara was troubled at how sad she felt that he was no longer touching her.  
  
"Milady, may I ask you a personal question?" he asked as he folded his arms across his chest.  
  
Onara nodded, wondering what he was going to ask her.  
  
"It's about Dynast Edress. He told me he had hoped to have someone else perform the blessing. Was it this Jerule person?"  
  
Onara grimaced. "Yes. It was him."  
  
"Was he at the feast?"  
  
She nodded. "You must have seen him. A man with a face like an ax. Beady, yellow eyes."  
  
"Oh, yes. He was sitting next to your husband."  
  
"Jerule owns lands adjacent to Kindah Province. Edress," and Onara's mouth twisted harshly about the name, "had hoped to barter my virginity in exchange for permission to do some mining on Jerule's lands."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head, his lips twisting with disgust. "Appalling. You're not some brood mare to be loaned out in exchange for a tub of butter."  
  
Onara tilted her head as she looked up at him.  
  
"No, I am not," she said softly.  
  
The Jedi gazed down at her. "I'm sorry, Onara. When I negotiated the peace accord, I did not intend for it to include your having to marry Dynast Edress."  
  
"I know you didn't, Master Obi-Wan. But I must do what is required of me to ensure the peace. It is my duty as my father's daughter."  
  
Obi-Wan said nothing, but there was a look in his eyes that made her heart thump hard in her chest. He bowed deeply to her, then moved away from the bed as he looked around the chamber.  
  
"Well, since we're expected to remain here until dawn," he said, "I suppose we should find something to do to pass the time."  
  
Onara looked around. There wasn't anything in the chamber but a table, a fireplace, the candles and bouquets of flower, the chair Obi-Wan had been sitting in, a door that led to a small 'fresher and the bed, of course. The chamber had been set up for only one thing and one thing only but, since they'd both agreed not to do that one thing, Onara couldn't imagine what else they would do.  
  
-------  
  
Anakin glanced over at Lady Tsara. The two of them were sitting in the foyer outside the bridal chamber. Edress and K'lia had long gone, apparently to attend some kind of bachelor party for Edress, or at least that was what it had sounded like to Anakin.  
  
Meanwhile, he and Lady Tsara were supposed to sit outside the chamber and act as witnesses to the blessing ceremony. But, Anakin wondered, how could you witness something you couldn't see. Lady Tsara, who had brought some knitting with her, was humming loudly to herself, her long, skeletal fingers flying, the metal needles clicking loudly. She suddenly stopped knitting and frowned over at Anakin.  
  
"I thought you Jedi were powerful, virile warriors."  
  
Anakin sat up in his chair and lifted his chest. "We are," he said proudly.  
  
"Humph! Well, all I can say is it's awfully quiet in there. The physician said Onara would recover shortly, so she should be awake. But I haven't heard a sound and it's been well over an hour."  
  
Anakin could only shrug. Lady Tsara was right. Onara must have recovered by now or his master would have gotten help if she had not. So they had to be doing something, but Anakin didn't know anymore than Lady Tsara what his master was doing or not doing to Onara. Anakin could have used the Force to augment his hearing and try to listen in on the two, but he was afraid to do so. First, because he didn't feel comfortable spying on his master and, second, he was afraid of what he might hear if he were to listen in.  
  
His master had been quite adamant about not wanting to make love to Onara but, Anakin suddenly realized, Obi-Wan had made that statement before he had ever set eyes on her. Anakin slowly shook his head. How could any man in his right mind not want to make love to such a beautiful woman. Then he tilted his head as he remembered something. When Onara had fainted, Obi-Wan had moved lightning fast, catching her in his arms before she fell to the floor. And, Anakin had noted, there had been a look of genuine concern on his face.  
  
"Well?" Lady Tsara said sharply, breaking rudely into Anakin's musings.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Hmmm, yes, well, you see, my Master is very quiet and he---".  
  
Lady Tsara eyed him skeptically. "Quiet?"  
  
Anakin nodded. "He's...uh....not the type to...well...you know...shout...scream...cry out. That sort of thing when he's...uh...you know...doing...doing that," Anakin finished lamely, his face burning for he had no idea what he was talking about.  
  
"For your information," Lady Tsara snapped, "I was not in the least bit concerned as to why your master is so quiet. I was wondering why Onara is. If you Jedi are as virile as people say you are...." And she stopped and glared at him with her dark, owlish eyes.  
  
Anakin could only shrug helplessly. He truly did not know what to say. He was still a virgin and, although he had stolen a few kisses from some fellow Padawans and, once, had even felt the breast of a Padawan named Ditra, he had no idea what Lady Tsara wanted to hear coming from the chamber.  
  
She stared accusingly at him for a long moment; then looked away and focused her attention back on her knitting, but her needles seem to click petulantly as if she were blaming Anakin for the fact Onara wasn't making whatever sounds Lady Tsara seemed to want to hear.  
  
Anakin sighed. He would be glad when this night was over. Then he heard his master laugh from behind the chamber door. Anakin's eyes widened. He had heard Master Obi-Wan laugh before, of course, but not like this. It was a deep, throaty laugh, full of enjoyment and amusement. Anakin looked over at Lady Tsara, hoping that would please her, but she was frowning fiercely at him.  
  
"Humph!" was all she said as she went back to her knitting.  
  
Anakin scowled as he folded his arms across his chest and stretched out his legs. What did the old hag want to hear, he thought crossly. Onara screaming like a krayt dragon in heat?  
  
-------------  
  
Onara looked over to where Obi-Wan was standing in front of the large window. She had gotten out of the bed and was now sitting in the only chair in the room. Obi-Wan had, at first, wandered around the chamber, looking for something to occupy him while they waited for dawn. At one point he had even mentioned something about meditating for the remainder of the night, but Onara had told him in no uncertain terms she had no intention of sitting and watching him commune with the universe or the Force or whatever Jedi meditated on. He had laughed at that, but told her he would respect her wishes and wait until he on his way to Coruscant to meditate.  
  
She had then watched as he moved about the room, noting the way he carried himself and the way the candlelight played on his hair and the angles of his face. She hadn't thought much about him while preparing for the ceremony for she had been too focused on trying to find a way out of it. Now she found herself wondering about him.  
  
All she knew was that he was one of the fabled Jedi Knights and master to that young apprentice. They both had come to Ajhane a few weeks ago to help negotiate the peace accord between her father and Dynast Edress and, considering how deadlocked the peace process had been before their arrival, the Jedi Master had performed nothing short of a miracle in getting the two sides to finally end the war. But that was all she knew of him. However, before she could dwell further on her thoughts, he called out to her.  
  
"Milady? Would you be so kind as to come here."  
  
Onara rose from the chair and went over to where Obi-Wan was looking out the window. Because it was so large it gave a commanding view of the countryside. The bridal chamber was located on the eastern side of her father's manor, which meant it faced the forests that sloped down to the Malia River. The full moon had risen, so its lambent light bathed the landscape in a sweet, soft glow.  
  
"What is it?" she asked as she moved next to him, acutely aware of the closeness of his body next to hers.  
  
He pointed to a slight rise in the thickness of the forest. "What is that?"  
  
Onara leaned forward, her hands on the window ledge, her eyes narrowing. Then, when she saw the flickering gold and green lights appearing and disappearing among the darkness of the trees, her heart sped up and she clapped her hands together  
  
"Oh, I don't believe it! It's the Mating Dance," she cried out.  
  
"The Mating Dance?"  
  
"Yes," Onara said excitedly. "I had forgotten all about it, what with the wedding and all. And because of the war, we thought they had all gone."  
  
"Gone? Who?"  
  
"The Katarra."  
  
When she saw the puzzlement on his face, she quickly explained.  
  
"The Katarra are insects, about the size of my fist. They're native to the forests near the Malia River. Once each solar cycle they dance their mating dance. The males and females sprout wings, but only for one night. As they fly about seeking mates, the males give off a green light and the females a gold one. It's quite beautiful. But, no one has seen them dance in years. We were afraid they had all died out."  
  
Onara leaned out a little farther as she strained to see the glimmers of green and gold lights darting deep within the darkness of the trees.  
  
Obi-Wan grabbed her arm. "Be careful."  
  
Onara shivered at his touch and, as she looked up at him, their eyes met. They stared at each other for a long moment. Then they both looked quickly away as Obi-Wan let go of her arm. He gestured below the window.  
  
"It's quite a drop, milady. I wouldn't want you to fall."  
  
Onara looked down. He was right. They were at least a hundred feet up from the ground. She looked back at the lights flickering among the trees.  
  
"Oh, I do wish I could see them dance. There are no Katarra in Kindah province."  
  
"It does sound fascinating," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. He leaned over the ledge. "Hmmm, the ground appears level here and it looks soft enough."  
  
Onara looked down, then back at him. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"I'm going to go see this Dance."  
  
"But you can't. Grandmother and your apprentice are sitting guard outside the chamber."  
  
"I wasn't planning on going that way," the Jedi said with a sly grin.  
  
Onara's eyes widened as he climbed out onto the window's ledge.  
  
"No, you mustn't," she cried as she reached out towards him. "You'll be killed!"  
  
He looked back at her. "You forget, milady. I'm a Jedi."  
  
Onara stared at him. She didn't care if he was a Jedi. It was still madness.  
  
"Please, come back in, Master Obi-Wan."  
  
"Trust me. I've done this many times before."  
  
Onara frowned, then tugged on his tunic. "Well, if you're going I want to come too."  
  
"What?"  
  
She looked him hard in the eyes. "I'm not going to sit here by myself and twiddle my thumbs while you go out for a nice little stroll. I'm as much a prisoner as you are, and I want to get out of here."  
  
Obi-Wan looked at her for a moment. Then he smiled and gave her his hand. She took it and climbed out on the ledge. She looked down and wished she had not. Her head spun as the ground seemed to roll and twist beneath her. Then she felt Obi-Wan slip an arm about her waist as he pulled her tight against him.  
  
"Don't look at the ground. Look at me."  
  
She did so and saw that his eyes in the moon's light had darkened to a deep blue. Then, before she could draw breath, he swept her up in his arms. Onara squealed and wrapped her arms about his neck.  
  
"Remember," he cautioned her. "Don't look at the ground. Look only at me."  
  
Onara nodded, her throat tightening. Their faces were close enough she could see a small mole on his right cheek and what looked like a cleft in his chin, partially hidden by his beard. The ends of his hair softly caressed her forearm where it was clasped behind his neck and, as he held her tight, she felt his heart beating hard against her breast.  
  
"Ready?" he asked, his breath warm on her face, his lips inches from her cheek.  
  
Onara hesitated. As the cool night breeze swirled around them, she wasn't sure she wanted to do this after all. It was one thing for the Jedi to make food and cups float in the air, but to jump from the window with her in his arms? Most likely they were going to wind up dead, their broken bodies discovered in the morning by her grief-stricken father.  
  
"Master Obi-Wan, I've decided I'd rather not---"  
  
But before she could finish, she felt the Jedi's body flex powerfully against her as he leapt from the ledge. Onara screamed as they plummeted to the ground.  
  
------  
  
Anakin, who had been dozing in his chair, opened his eyes and quickly sat up when he heard Onara scream. Lady Tsara dropped her knitting in her lap, her thin, wrinkled lips curling in a smile as she leered over at Anakin.  
  
"Now, that's more like it!" she cried.  
  
To be continued... 


	6. Part Six

TITLE: First Knight - Part Six  
  
---------------  
  
As Obi-Wan fell towards the ground, he quickly attuned his use of the Force to compensate for Onara's added weight. He had not lied to her. He had done this many times before; he had just never done it carrying someone. Onara was no longer screaming, but her arms were wrapped so tightly about his neck he feared she was going to choke him.  
  
As the ground rushed towards him, Obi-Wan readied himself. Drawing upon the Force, he eased the speed of his descent and landed safely. He lowered Onara to the ground, but she continued to cling to his neck. He turned his head and saw her eyes were tightly closed.  
  
"Milady," he said softly. "We're on the ground. You can let go of me now."  
  
Onara slowly opened her eyes. She looked around and Obi-Wan had to suppress a smile as she tested the ground with her feet.  
  
"We're alive," she gasped. "I don't believe it. We're actually alive."  
  
"What? Did you think I was suicidal? I told you to trust me."  
  
Onara looked up at him as she continued to hug him about the neck. Her arms were soft and warm and Obi-Wan found it a bit unsettling as to how much he was enjoying the fact she was pressed so tightly against him.  
  
"No, I didn't think you were suicidal, Master Obi-Wan," she said, her eyes dancing. "Insane, yes. But not suicidal."  
  
He laughed and, reaching up, gently took hold of her wrists and slowly unclasped her arms from about his neck. The truth was, he could have stood there far longer than he would have liked to admit, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, enjoying the way the soft curves of her body molded onto his, but he remembered she had made it quite clear she wasn't interested in him in that way. And neither was he, he reminded himself.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Onara said as she stepped back from him. Even in the moonlight he could see she was blushing.  
  
"Quite alright, milady."  
  
"Please stop calling me that."  
  
"What? Milady?"  
  
Onara nodded. "I'm not a milady."  
  
She turned and looked up at the window of the bridal chamber far above them. She stared at it for a moment, then turned around in a circle, flinging her arms about her.  
  
"I'm just Onara," she cried as she whirled around laughing joyfully. "And I'm free. If only for this night. Free just to be me. Not my father's daughter or Edress's wife. Just me. Onara."  
  
Obi-Wan laughed with her, then grabbed her to stop her from turning around.  
  
"You'd better stop before you make yourself dizzy. I think one fainting spell is enough for one night. Don't you?"  
  
Onara giggled, but she stopped her twirling, stumbling a bit as she steadied herself.  
  
"You're right, Master Obi-Wan," she gasped as she looked up into his eyes.  
  
Hers were full of moonlight and, as she fought to catch her breath, her bosom rose and fell rapidly. Obi-Wan let himself gaze for a moment on the way it swelled so lusciously out of the bodice of her dress. His thoughts whirling, he pulled her hard against him, his hands clutching her arms, his eyes locked on hers.  
  
Onara gasped, her eyes widening. Then, with a hard stagger of his heart, Obi-Wan recalled that night long ago with Silia and what he had done to her. He quickly released Onara's arms and stepped away from her. He cleared his throat and tried to look everywhere but at her.  
  
"Are these your father's lands?" he asked, gesturing widely around him, desperate to draw her attention from what had just happened.  
  
"Yes," Onara said as she looked curiously at him. "It's been in our family for hundreds of generations."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "It's very beautiful. Even in the moonlight I can see that."  
  
"My father would be very pleased to hear that," Onara said. "It's been difficult, with the war and all, to keep it this way." She looked over at him, her eyes full of warmth. "But thanks to you, Master Obi-Wan, we now have peace and my father can concentrate on those areas of our province that were devastated by the war."  
  
"Your father is a good man."  
  
"Yes he is. I love him very much."  
  
"And he loves you. I can see that."  
  
Onara smiled at his words. "Well, shall we go see the Dance, Master Obi- Wan?"  
  
"All right. But only if you promise me one thing."  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
"That you call me Obi-Wan. Not Master Obi-Wan. Just Obi-Wan. I think I'd like to feel a little free myself tonight."  
  
Onara smiled widely at him. "Agreed."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and pointed to his right. "I believe we need to go that way."  
  
Onara nodded. "The Malia River is that way. We'll find the Katarra near there."  
  
Obi-Wan was about to set off towards the forest, when Onara suddenly grabbed his arm.  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She gestured with her hand toward the window of the bridal chamber.  
  
"How will we get back up?"  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at her. "The same way we got down."  
  
Onara frowned. "Obi-Wan, I don't pretend to understand the Force, but I do know that when you leapt out of the window, gravity was helping you. However, in order to leap back to the window, you will have to fight against it. That will be impossible, I would think. Even for a Jedi."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "If, as you say, I fight against gravity then yes, it will be impossible."  
  
"But, we'll be stuck outside," Onara cried. "And they'll discover we've left the chamber."  
  
She grabbed Obi-Wan's arms and squeezed them. "Father will be disgraced and Grandmother..." She stopped, her eyes widening with horror. "Oh, Obi-Wan, you have yet to see how truly angry she can get."  
  
"Really?," Obi-Wan said smiling. "Curious. She seemed quite enraged when she discovered you were not wearing the blessing gown but, judging from your expression, I gather that was nothing compared to what she is truly capable of."  
  
Onara nodded quickly, her eyes as wide as saucers as she let got of his arms. Obi-Wan laughed softly.  
  
"Don't worry, Onara. I won't fight gravity on the way up. That is not the way one uses the Force. When it is time for us to return to the bridal chamber, we will. Now, shall we go? We want to be sure to be back before dawn."  
  
Onara looked back up at the window of the chamber. Obi-Wan could see she was still skeptical. He touched her arm and indicated they should go. She looked at him, nodded and walked with him towards the line of trees.  
  
----------- Obi-Wan and Onara walked in silence for awhile she, like him he imagined, just taking in the beauty of the night and the fact they, at least for the time being, they were both free from the expectations of Onara's father and grandmother as it related to the blessing ceremony.  
  
As Obi-Wan looked around, he was again struck anew by the varied kinds of ecosystems he had encountered on the many worlds he had visited during his life as a Jedi. The forests of Ahjane were ancient and magisterial, the tops of the trees sweeping across the star-filled heavens, their trunks knotted and pitted with age. The moonlight and starlight glimmered on the large, palm-like leaves and the noise the leaves made as the wind drifted through them was like the whispers of ghosts.  
  
"It's like something out of a story, isn't it?" Onara said softly, breaking into his thoughts as she walked beside him.  
  
Obi-Wan looked around at the tall trees that soared over them.  
  
"Yes, very much so," he agreed. "One could almost imagine the trees were castles or fortresses."  
  
"When I was little, I used to come into the forest and make up stories."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at her, a smile on his lips. "Really? What kind of stories?"  
  
"Just stories," Onara replied. She glanced at him, then looked down, her hand swinging along her side, her fingers straying along the edge of her dress. "Sometimes, I'd run away when I got tired of Grandmother scolding me about something. She did that a lot. I could never seem to please her." She sighed heavily. "Anyway, I would run away into the forests and hide. Do you know, once it took them two days to find me."  
  
"Two days? How old were you?"  
  
"Five."  
  
"Five! Onara, your poor father must have been beside himself with worry."  
  
"Oh, he was. Very much so. I didn't mean to frighten him, but that particular day Grandmother had..." Onara stopped and bit her lip. "Anyway, when they finally found me Grandmother made Father lock me in a closet for two days, the same number of days I'd gone missing."  
  
Her voice grew softer. "I made up stories as I sat alone in the dark. And I didn't cry or beg to be let out. Not once. Not ever. And that, I think, made Grandmother even angrier."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Onara. The moon's light slid along her slender neck, highlighting her dark hair, loose tendrils of which had fallen about her face. He had tried to not let himself be affected by her beauty, but it was difficult. For she was beautiful. And, what made her even more beautiful was that he could sense she was completely unaware of it. Most beautiful women knew they were beautiful and, as a result, had certain expectations from people. Such women did not interest Obi-Wan.  
  
But Onara was completely oblivious to her physical charms and that made her all the more attractive to him. He wondered if her grandmother had had something to do with that. Perhaps her constant criticism over the years had led Onara to believe she had no favorable qualities. Obi-Wan then tried to imagine Onara as that stubborn little girl, refusing to cry or be afraid even as she sat alone in that dark closet, determined to defy the grandmother who, Obi-Wan could only imagine, had made her childhood a living hell.  
  
"Onara?"  
  
She turned and looked at him and he could see in her eyes that, despite her words, she was still haunted by what had happened to her. He decided to draw her thoughts away from those dreadful memories.  
  
"Tell me one of your stories," he said gently.  
  
"One of my stories?"  
  
He nodded. "The ones you made up when you were a little girl."  
  
She stared at him for a moment, then smiled, the darkness that had been swirling in her eyes replaced by their usual brightness.  
  
"Well, if you'd really like to hear one," she said.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, smiling.  
  
"Let's see. All right. There was one in which I was a pirate captain. I'd pretend that the Malia River was the ocean. I had washed up on shore because my mutinous crew had stolen all my treasure, leaving me for dead. I swore vengeance on all of them. So, I lived alone in the forest, living only on berries and tranga roots, but growing stronger every day. Then, one day, while digging for roots I came upon a magical sword and with it I hunted down my traitorous crew and cut off all their heads. I then took back my ship and my treasure, found a new crew and sailed away, never to be seen again."  
  
Obi-Wan chuckled. Onara stopped walking and frowned at him.  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked sharply, her hands on her hips.  
  
"I'm sorry, Onara. I guess that's just not the kind of story I would have associated with you."  
  
"Oh, really?" she said, her dark eyes narrowing as she glared up at him. "And just what kind of story would you associate with me, Master Kenobi? One in which I'm some weak, simpering, witless princess, waiting for some equally witless prince to come and rescue me from my enchanted golden tower?"  
  
"No, of course not," he said quickly. But he was still smiling at her.  
  
Onara stared at him for a moment, her eyes boring into his. Then she smiled and shook her head.  
  
"All right," she admitted. "I guess it was a rather bloodthirsty tale. But I liked it."  
  
"It was a fine story, Onara. Quite enjoyable. It might even make a good holofilm."  
  
"Holofilm? I've never seen a holofilm."  
  
"You haven't?" Obi-Wan shrugged. "I don't watch them much myself. Anakin is quite fond of them. A little too fond, I think."  
  
"I'd like to see one."  
  
"Perhaps you will."  
  
Onara shook her head. "I doubt it," she said sadly as she gazed down at the ground. "I will never leave Ahjane."  
  
Not wanting to see her so disheartened, Obi-Wan reached over and touched her chin. She looked up at him.  
  
"Why don't you tell me another story while we walk?"  
  
"Another story?"  
  
"Yes," he said as he took her arm. "Tell me a story about us. I'll establish the setting. We're in the deep, dark forest and we're lost and frightened, because..." and he looked over at her, indicating she should continue.  
  
"A story," Onara mused as she fell into step beside him. "Hmmm, let's see. All right, I have one. You and I are royal twins."  
  
"We're twins?" Obi-Wan said skeptically, mindful of the fact she was so much younger.  
  
"It's a story, remember," Onara said. "Anyway, you and I are royal twins and we've just escaped into the forest. We're running away from our father."  
  
"Why are we running away from our father?"  
  
"Because he's evil," Onara said, with no lack of irritation in her voice. "Now, please, hush and let me tell the story."  
  
Obi-Wan chuckled. "I'm sorry. Go ahead."  
  
"As I said, our father is evil. Very evil. Once he was good, a Prince of Light, but something terrible happened to him and it made him angry and hateful."  
  
"What happened to make him so evil?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Onara sighed as he helped her over a tree root that was sticking out of the ground.  
  
"I don't know, Obi-Wan. I'm making this up as I go along. Something terrible, that's all I know, but it made him very angry. And the anger was like a noose around his heart. It squeezed out all the light and all the love. However, he had once loved a woman. A brave and beautiful woman. Our mother. She became pregnant by him, but not long after he became a Master of the Darkness."  
  
Onara paused. Obi-Wan looked over at her. She looked as if she were in a trance, her eyes unfocused, the words flowing out of her. He touched her arm. She jumped and looked over at him.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked her.  
  
Onara stared at him for a moment, then went on as if he had not spoken.  
  
"Fearing for our safety, for a prophecy had foretold that a child of his would destroy him, our mother hid her pregnancy from our father and, fortunately, during the later part of her pregnancy, our father was absent from the kingdom, subjugating all the lands around him to his dark will. So he never learned of us. Once we were born, our mother hid us among the villagers. And then," and Onara paused, "she died from grief and sorrow. The two of us grew up in the village, ignorant of our true heritage. But one terrible day our father learned who we really were and came to kill us, so we left the village and ran away."  
  
"Into the forest," Obi-Wan said, now so completely entranced by her story he had stopped walking and stood in front of her, waiting for her to go on.  
  
"Yes," Onara said as she looked up at him, her dark eyes locked on his. "And we hid in the forest, fearful our father's troops would find us and kill us. Then, one day, we happen stumbled across a hut hidden deep in the forest. And in that hut lived a very old man. Older than the mountains, older than the grass, but very wise. And guess who he was?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Our father's former wizard. He had taught our father everything about the Light and the Dark, but he had wanted our father to use what he had learned for good, not evil. When the wizard tried to stop our father from doing his hateful, terrible things, they had a terrible fight. They battled fiercely, their struggle taking them over land and sea, into deep tree-shrouded valleys and to the top of snow-capped mountains. But, after a long and fearsome fight, our father finally defeated the wizard."  
  
Onara paused, her eyes again unfocused and unseeing. Obi-Wan's heart was beating very hard and, as Onara had spoken, it was almost as if he could see that terrible battle between the wizard and his former student.  
  
"However, unable to destroy the wizard," Onara went out, "our father banished him instead. Weak and frail, both his body and heart broken, the wizard went away to hide in the forest where he waited for us to grow up. Our mother had told him about us, you see, and he knew that one day we would find him. And we did. And there in the forest he secretly trained us to someday rise up against our father."  
  
Onara stopped talking. She tilted her head back and looked up at the night sky arching over them. Obi-Wan waited for her to continue, but she seemed preoccupied with her star-gazing.  
  
"Well? What happened next?" Obi-Wan blurted out.  
  
Onara lowered her gaze from the stars and looked over at him.  
  
"When we were ready, we journeyed to the castle to kill our father so that his reign of evil would finally end. But you," and Onara stopped and looked solemnly at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Yes?" he prodded her.  
  
"You wanted to try and save our father," she said in a soft, sad voice. "To give him one last chance to redeem himself. I pleaded with you not to go, but you went anyway. You went to face him. Alone."  
  
"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked. "Did I save him? Or did he destroy me?"  
  
Onara blinked several times, then shook her head. "I...I don't know, Obi- Wan. I'm sorry. I don't know how the story ends." Then she laughed nervously and shrugged her slender shoulders. "Actually, I don't even know where that story came from."  
  
They both were silent for a long moment and Obi-Wan felt something move along his spine, like pale, cold fingers.  
  
"That's all right, Onara," he assured her. "It was a very good story. Although a rather sad one."  
  
Onara looked up at him, her eyes swimming with moonlight and darkness.  
  
"Aren't all good stories, Obi-Wan? Aren't they all a little sad?"  
  
"I suppose. But, I must admit I do like a happy ending."  
  
"I do too," she said. Then she sighed. "I just don't believe in them."  
  
Obi-Wan heard the sadness in Onara's voice and knew she was thinking of the life she would soon be leading as wife to Dynast Edress. He didn't blame her. Forced to marry a man for political reasons who, Obi-Wan knew, did not love her and probably never would. Having to leave her home to go live among strangers in a strange land. Who would not look at their future bleakly. But Obi-Wan, despite his cautious nature and by-the-book view of life, was also optimistic.  
  
He reached over and took her hand. "Don't give up hope," he said gently as he stroked her fingers. "As long as there is life, there is always hope."  
  
She gazed up at him and he was shaken when he felt her fingers moving along his.  
  
"I wish I could believe that, Obi-Wan."  
  
Obi-Wan swallowed heavily as their fingers slowly intertwined.  
  
"You must believe it, Onara. You're still young and not even the wisest of us can know what the future will bring. Perhaps it will bring grief and sorrow beyond our darkest imaginings. But, you must also try to believe there's as much chance the future will bring you happiness and joy beyond your wildest dreams."  
  
Now their fingers were joined and the very air around them seemed electrified. They gazed into each other's eyes and Onara's were not just filled with stars, they were the stars. Obi-Wan didn't know if it was his heart or hers he felt beating through their fingers. Perhaps it was both.  
  
"Is it true the Jedi can see the future?" Onara whispered. "Can you see mine, Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Some Jedi are prescient," he said, his voice low and throbbing, his breath catching as their fingers caressed and stroked each other's hand. "Master Yoda, for one. But, even if we could see the future, we would not let it guide our actions. The future is always in motion, Onara, for that is the way of the Force."  
  
"What is the Force like, Obi-Wan?"  
  
Obi-Wan smiled. He was pleased by her question and squeezed her hand to let her know.  
  
"The Force is an illimitable ocean, Onara. Boundless, dimensionless, outside of both time and space, yet inextricably bound within them. It binds the universe together."  
  
"It sounds wonderful. I wish I could feel it."  
  
"You can."  
  
She arched an eyebrow. Obi-Wan laughed, the tips of his fingers sliding slowly over the back of her hand.  
  
"Perhaps not in the way we Jedi experience it," he said warmly, "but if you quiet your mind and listen to that small, still voice inside you, the voice of your truest self, you will experience something of what the Force is like."  
  
Onara nodded, then her eyes widened as she glanced behind him. She drew her hand from his and pointed. Obi-Wan turned and saw, in the grove of trees just ahead, green and gold lights flickering among the darkness.  
  
"They're heading for the glade," Onara whispered.  
  
"The glade?"  
  
She nodded. "It's where they will perform the Dance."  
  
"What should we do? Will they let us approach?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"I don't know. When I was a girl they never paid us any mind when Father would bring me to watch them. But, with the war..." and she shrugged.  
  
"Why don't we give it a try since we've come this far. If we are a disturbance to them, we will leave."  
  
Onara nodded. Obi-Wan wanted to take her hand again, but she was already moving through the trees so he followed her to where the Katarra were gathering in the glade.  
  
---------------  
  
Anakin gingerly worked out a kink in his back. The chair he was sitting had become decidedly more uncomfortable as the night wore on. He looked over at Lady Tsara. She was still knitting, but Anakin had caught her dozing off every now and then. He hid a smile. Although he had slipped off to sleep himself a few times, if he chose to he knew he could go without sleep far longer than she.  
  
Nearly an hour had passed since they had heard Onara scream. Although Lady Tsara had assumed it had something to do with Onara and Obi-Wan's lovemaking, Anakin knew better. The two were no longer in the bridal chamber. He had sensed their absence, though where they had gone and why, he had no clue. He was confident, however, that his master knew what he was doing and would return before dawn. Anakin supposed he should have mentioned that Onara and Obi-Wan had left the chamber, but saw no reason to do so. Plus, he did not want to witness the firestorm of Lady Tsara's rage if she were to discover their absence.  
  
As he crossed his booted ankles and tried to settle himself more comfortably in the chair, Anakin wondered why the two had left. Although he was well aware that among the younger Padawans at the Temple, Obi-Wan was sometimes known as Oldie-Wan Kenobi because he was such a strict disciplinarian and something of a stick in the mud, Anakin suspected there was far more to his master than met the eye.  
  
He wondered if perhaps Obi-Wan had just wanted to make love to Onara outside, for Anakin had convinced himself there was no way his master was going to pass up the opportunity to be intimate with such a beautiful woman. Or at least Anakin hoped he wouldn't. Sometimes he worried about Obi- Wan, for the Jedi took himself and life a little too seriously for Anakin's tastes.  
  
And it wasn't like Obi-Wan was going to get into trouble if he did make love to Onara, Anakin thought. Master Yoda had said it was all right for him to do so. And, really, how many fathers actually encouraged you to take their daughter's virginity, begged you even. Anakin knew he wouldn't have passed up such an opportunity. Notwithstanding the fact he was still a virgin.  
  
Anakin snorted softly, then looked over to see if Lady Tsara had heard him, but she was fast asleep, her knitting abandoned in her lap. He shook his head. Didn't matter if he was still a virgin. By the putrid pit of Carkoon, if Dynast K'lia had asked him to bless Onara's marriage to Dynast Edress by making love to her, he wouldn't have thrown a fit like Master Obi-Wan. No way. He would have jumped right into that big, soft bed, thrown his arms tightly around Onara, kissed her warm, sweet mouth and...and....  
  
He frowned. Well, he would have done something, that's for sure. And with that thought, he closed his eyes and slipped into a light meditation.  
  
To be continued.... 


	7. Part Seven

TITLE: First Knight - Part Seven  
  
------------------  
  
As Onara followed the Katarra she brushed away the branches of a tree that was hanging in front of her. Then she looked at her hand. The hand he had touched. Even now it still tingled, her heart still raced, and she was still confused. She stopped just short of the edge of the trees that surrounded the glade. The moonlight poured onto the dark green grass, and the wind rustled through the leaves, the breeze soft and cool on her arms. She could smell the thick scent of honeyroses in the air and, far off, the soggy reek of the Malia River.  
  
Obi-Wan caught up to her and moved to her right. She looked over at him. He peered through the trees at the glade, the light from the moon shining on his hair, the green and gold flickers of the Katarra as they gathered glimmering across his face. He turned and looked over at her.  
  
Onara's throat tightened as he gazed into her eyes. Yes, she was very confused because she was not supposed to be feeling this way. Not at all. As she continued to look at him, he moved closer. He lowered his head and his mouth just brushed her ear as he whispered into it.  
  
"Would it be best if we stayed here?" he asked.  
  
Onara closed her eyes as his warm breath flowed across her ear. She was tempted to move her head a little closer, just so he could touch her ear with his lips, but she didn't. Instead she opened her eyes and nodded.  
  
"I'm not sure how they will react to us," she said softly. "It would be best, I think, if we were to remain here."  
  
Obi-Wan returned her nod and moved away. He looked back out at the glade. Onara clenched her hand. No, this wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. But it was. She had wanted him to kiss her ear. And more. She quickly looked away from him and out at the glade.  
  
There were at least a dozen of both male and female Katarra flying about. When she was a little girl there had been hundreds of them, so it was true the war had decimated their population. She would speak to her father about it and see if something could be done to increase their numbers. They were very important to the Ahjane ecosystem.  
  
As Onara watched she saw they were beginning to pair up. It didn't happen right away, however. The golden colored females tended to be quite selective and, if they did not care for a male, quickly flew away, seeking another.  
  
Because there were so few Katarra, the Dance wasn't as awe-inspiring as it had been when there had been hundreds of them dancing, but it was still beautiful. Onara held her breath, watching as they floated and drifted and glided away and around and towards each other.  
  
Looking over at Obi-Wan she saw he appeared completely entranced but, she thought sadly, he was not seeing the Dance as it should have been. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked over at her and smiled. Onara returned his smile, then looked back out at the glade.  
  
Now all the Katarra were finally paired. Then she noted there were three stragglers, a female and two males. The males darted about the female, both competing for her attention. Finally, the female chose one. The remaining male flew about still hoping to find a mate, but there were no more females left and, with what looked to Onara like a melancholy flicker of his green- lighted wings, he flew off alone into the forest. The rest of the paired Katarra were also flying away and soon, the glade was empty.  
  
Obi-Wan turned to Onara. "What happens now?"  
  
Onara laughed softly. "They've all gone off to mate, of course. They'll do it all night. Then the females will fly away to lay their eggs in new colonies."  
  
"And the males?"  
  
Onara cleared her throat. "Ummm, well, I'm afraid they all die after mating with the females."  
  
She suppressed a smile as a grimace crossed Obi-Wan's face.  
  
"Oh, I see." He frowned. "That seems to be customary in a great many species."  
  
Onara shrugged. "What else is a male good for?"  
  
Then she laughed to let him know she was joking. He smiled at her as he moved closer.  
  
"Did I hear you right? That they will mate all night?" he asked.  
  
Onara nodded, painfully aware of how close he was standing to her, of how she could hear his breath as it moved in and out of his lungs, feel the heat rising from his body even through his clothes, and how his scent was a mixture of both his natural masculine musk and something that reminded her of incense.  
  
"Yes," she whispered, her throat working, as she gazed up at him. "They will mate all night."  
  
"Interesting," he murmured as he moved closer.  
  
Onara swallowed heavily. "P-p-p-perhaps, we should be getting back," she stammered. "It'll be dawn soon."  
  
She moved to turn away but Obi-Wan grabbed her arm. His touch sent a shockwave through her.  
  
"It won't be dawn for hours, Onara."  
  
"Really?" she said. "I...I wasn't aware of that. But, you must be tired. It's been such a long day. For both of us."  
  
"I'm not tired. Are you?" he asked, his voice full of concern.  
  
"No, no," Onara answered quickly. "I'm not tired at all. I'm too...too.."  
  
She stopped and bit her lip. Although they were no longer in the bridal chamber, she was still alone with him, in a moon-washed glade in the middle of a dark forest. They could just as well perform the blessing ceremony here, she realized, both of them lying on the soft, star-sparkled grass, their arms about each other, only the moon as witness as they....  
  
Onara quickly blinked away the passionate image that had blossomed in her mind. An unwelcome blush crept into her cheeks. Where had such a thought come from? She looked at Obi-Wan. He was peering intently at her. As he continued to look silently at her, his hand clasped about her arm, she noted his gaze moving from her eyes to her shoulders and down to her breasts. Then he looked back into her face. Onara's cheeks burned hotter. She quickly lowered her eyes, her thoughts whirling.  
  
"You're trembling, Onara," Obi-Wan noted, his moonfilled eyes gazing down at her. "Are you cold?"  
  
Onara mutely shook her head. The breeze had gotten cooler as the night wore on, but it wasn't the night air that was making her tremble. It was him. Onara had never had a sweetheart or a lover. She had spent her entire life trying to live up to the expectations of her father and grandmother and had had no time for such things.  
  
But here, in the dark forest of her childhood, with the moon's light streaming like a river of ivory onto her and this Jedi whom she had swore she would not let touch her, she felt herself overwhelmed with emotions she had never imagined feeling.  
  
However, as Obi-Wan continued to hold her arm and look deep into her eyes, Onara remained silent, revealing nothing of what she felt. Then, she saw something move behind his eyes as if he, like she, had weighed his options and come to a conclusion. He released her arm.  
  
"You're right. We'd best be getting back," he said.  
  
Onara stared at him for a moment, then nodded. They turned and made their way to her father's manor.  
  
-----------------  
  
As Obi-Wan walked alongside Onara it took all of his Jedi training to regain his composure. Because, as he had stood beside her watching the mating dance of the Katarra, a part of his awareness had been on the glade, but another part had been focused on her. He had been conscious of everything about her; the rise and fall of her breasts as she took in and released a breath, the stirring of her hair as the wind played with it, the color of her skin in the moonlight, the way she unconsciously licked and bit her full, ripe lips, the sweet scent of her body. And, when she had turned to go back to the manor, he had not known until he did so that he was going to reach out for her. He had grabbed her arm, wanting....  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. He wasn't sure what he had wanted. He frowned. No, that wasn't true. He knew exactly what he had wanted. He had wanted to pull her to him, kiss her mouth and see if her lips were as warm and sweet as they looked, feel the softness of her body pressed tight against his as it had been when they had landed on the ground outside the manor.  
  
But he hadn't kissed her. First, because Onara was a married woman, or would be come morning. Second, he was a Jedi Knight, sworn to the Jedi Order and to the service of the Republic. Third, he was master to an apprentice who, with each passing day, was becoming more powerful and, therefore, more of a handful. And, most importantly, she had made it quite clear she did not want him in that way. He sighed and, as he walked next to her, looked up at the sky. Iron-colored clouds raced across the stars and moon, but he noted they were becoming thicker and longer.  
  
"It's going to rain, Onara."  
  
She glanced up. "Really? It doesn't look like it."  
  
"I can feel it. However, we should make it back to the manor before it does."  
  
"Good. I hate being wet."  
  
Obi-Wan was about to tell her so did he, when he stopped. While he and Onara had been in the woods he had sensed much of the wildlife around them. It had been primarily small nocturnal creatures flying through the air in search of prey or digging blindly in the dirt for grubs. But what he sensed now was something different. Something larger.  
  
"Onara, are there any predators in these woods?"  
  
She had stopped when he had. She looked up at him.  
  
"Predators? No, there haven't been any dangerous animals in the forest for years. Why do you ask?"  
  
"I sense something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know," Obi-Wan said as he slowly turned around. "What's odd is that I'm not sensing it through the Force, but I can hear it. It's very near and it's following us."  
  
Onara glanced nervously around. "Following us?" She moved closer to him. Then she gasped.  
  
"Oh, no!" she cried as she reached over and clutched his arm.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just remembered! When I arrived home from the Cloister the other day, Simtro mentioned the valkons."  
  
"The valkons?"  
  
Onara nodded, her eyes wide and bright with fear.  
  
"They're carnivores. They live in the Larab Mountains beyond the Malia River. However, because of the war, Simtro said it looked as if some of them had been displaced from their habitat and had crossed the river. He said their spoor had been seen in the forests."  
  
Obi-Wan quickly unhooked his lightsaber.  
  
"Stay close to me," he told her as he took her arm and led her through the trees.  
  
Onara fell into step beside him.  
  
"What are these valkons like?" he asked her.  
  
"They're man-sized," Onara panted as she struggled to keep up with him, "and covered with thick black fur. And they have a long snout filled with sharp teeth."  
  
"Do they hunt in packs?"  
  
Onara shook her head. "They're solitary hunters. But, they're fast. Very fast."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded and that's when the darkness roared and crashed into him, knocking him to the ground.  
  
To be continued.... 


	8. Part Eight

TITLE: First Knight - Part Eight  
  
-----------  
  
Just as Obi-Wan sensed the valkon's attack it was upon him. Onara was right. It was fast, almost preternaturally fast. It slammed into him, knocking him hard onto the ground, the breath exploding out of his lungs. His lightsaber flew from his hand, but he didn't have time to worry about his weapon. The valkon was on top of him, the stench of its rancid fur suffocating him. Its long snout was full of sharp, yellow teeth and its breath, as it slavered and slobbered above him, stank of decaying flesh. As Obi-Wan struggled to keep it from sinking its teeth into his throat, he managed enough breath to call out to Onara.  
  
"Onara! Run!" he shouted.  
  
He could only hope that while the valkon was busy with him, she would escape and make it back to the manor. The muscles in Obi-Wan's arms bulged as he pressed them against the valkon's throat, but it was protected by the creature's thick, dense fur. If he was having any effect on it, he couldn't see for it continued to snarl above him, its red eyes bulging, its thick saliva splattering across his face. Obi-Wan grunted as the creature, inch by inch, slowly lowered its snout toward his face. Then he heard Onara.  
  
"Get off him!" she screamed.  
  
Obi-Wan heard a loud thump and the valkon shrieked above him. The creature jerked and the pressure on Obi-Wan's arms eased a bit. He pushed hard against it and flung it from him. Then he rolled in the opposite direction and leapt to his feet. Onara was standing, a tree branch in her hand. She was holding it like a club. Her dark, wide eyes met his but, before he could say a word, he saw a streak of darkness racing towards her.  
  
"Onara! Look out!"  
  
Onara turned and, whether she was frozen from fear or displaying a foolish kind of bravery, she stood her ground, the tree branch raised before her. Obi-Wan had just enough time to raise his hands and use the Force to push at the valkon. The creature didn't smash into Onara as it intended, but it was close enough to clip her a glancing blow. Onara crumpled to the ground.  
  
"Onara!"  
  
Obi-Wan made to go to her, but the valkon had recovered and was veering back towards Onara's unmoving body. Obi-Wan ran and threw himself onto the valkon before it reached her, wrapping his arms tight about the creature's massive chest. They rolled on the ground until they slammed into a tree. Obi-Wan was once again pinned beneath the valkon. But this time he was ready. He flung the creature away with all his strength.  
  
It roared and screamed as it flew through the air and slammed onto the ground. However, before Obi-Wan could draw breath, the valkon was back on its feet, charging towards him. He rolled up on one knee, reaching towards his lightsaber where it lay on the ground. It flew to his hand. He ignited it just as the valkon bunched its powerful haunches and leapt towards him. Obi-Wan flung himself to the side, twisted around and swung his blade hard.  
  
The acrid stench of burning fur and flesh flooded his nose as his lightsaber tore through the valkon's neck. The creature's huge head soared through the air. Hot, thick blood gushed from its neck and splashed onto Obi-Wan's tunic and face. Its headless body shot past him, then crashed onto the ground where it shuddered for a moment then lay still.  
  
Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber. He lowered his head as he caught his breath, wiping the blood from his face with the sleeve of his tunic. The valkon had not only been fast, it had been unbelievably strong, taxing even Obi-Wan's Force-enhanced strength. Then he noted his wrist was hurting. In order to decapitate the valkon he'd had to swing his lightsaber from an awkward angle. He examined his wrist. It wasn't broken, he'd just twisted a muscle in it.  
  
Then he looked over and saw Onara. She lay motionless on the ground. He ran to her. She was lying face down. Moving his hand through her hair, he felt her neck. There was a pulse. He closed his eyes and thanked the Force. Opening his eyes, he gently turned her over. Her hair was strewn all over her face. Obi-Wan tenderly moved away the grass-crusted strands.  
  
"Onara, Onara," he called to her  
  
Her eyes remained close. There was a small bruise on her right cheek. He lightly touched it. Then he stroked her forehead, wondering if she had suffered a concussion. He shook her slightly.  
  
"Onara, wake up."  
  
Onara stirred, her eyelids fluttering. She slowly opened her eyes.  
  
"Obi-Wan? You're alive," she whispered.  
  
He smiled down at her. "So are you."  
  
Onara tried to rise from the ground. Obi-Wan quickly took hold of her shoulders.  
  
"Gently, now. Don't try to get up too fast."  
  
He kept his arm about her shoulder as he helped her sit.  
  
"The valkon...?" she asked  
  
"Is dead."  
  
"Dead?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. Onara stared at him for a moment, then her eyes widened when she saw the blood on his tunic.  
  
"Oh, gods! No! You're hurt!" she cried.  
  
"I'm fine, Onara. It's not my blood."  
  
"Are you certain?" she cried as she frantically examined him.  
  
Obi-Wan grabbed her hands and held them. "Yes, Onara. I'm certain."  
  
Onara looked at him for a moment, then nodded. Obi-Wan was surprised at the depth of concern he saw in her eyes. He released her hands. She reached up and touched her cheek.  
  
"My face hurts."  
  
"I'm afraid you have a nasty little bruise there."  
  
"Only a bruise?" Onara shrugged. "I should be dead."  
  
"Yes, you should be." Obi-Wan frowned. "Onara, I ordered you to run away. Why didn't you obey me?"  
  
Onara's eyelids, which had been lowering slowly over her eyes, flung upwards.  
  
"Obey!" she cried as she glared up at him. "Obey? You can't order me. You're not my father and I'm most certainly not your apprentice. And...and...well..."  
  
Onara lowered her gaze as she plucked nervously at her dress.  
  
"I couldn't just leave you," she finished softly. She looked back up at him, her dark eyes full on his.  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head, even as his heart turned over at the look she gave him.  
  
"It was still foolish of you to have remained. Foolish," and then he smiled at her, "but very brave."  
  
Onara returned his smile. Obi-Wan, his arm firmly about her shoulder, helped her to stand. Once she was on her feet she looked over and saw the valkon's headless body.  
  
"Oh, gods! You did that?"  
  
"Well, actually my lightsaber did it."  
  
Onara went over to the body. Obi-Wan kept his arm about her shoulder for she was still a bit wobbly. She bent down and ran her fingers through the valkon's thick black fur.  
  
"Astonishing," she murmured.  
  
"Onara, we should go."  
  
She rose and looked over at him.  
  
"May I touch it?" she asked.  
  
"Touch what?"  
  
Onara pointed to his lightsaber where it hung from his belt. Obi-Wan hesitated, then unclipped it and handed it to her.  
  
"It's very heavy," she observed as she hefted it in her hand.  
  
Obi-Wan looked at his lightsaber. He had constructed it years ago to replace the one he'd lost on Naboo during his duel with the Sith. He had changed nothing in the design. It still resembled Qui-Gon's lightsaber. However, Obi-Wan had made some modifications in its operation. He watched as Onara slowly slid her slender fingers over the power cell housing, along the ridged handgrip and up to the red activator knob. Obi-Wan reached over.  
  
"Careful." Since she was holding it facing him he didn't want to be impaled on his own blade.  
  
"Oh, sorry." She smiled and handed it back to him. "It's beautiful. Where did you purchase it?"  
  
Obi-Wan clipped his lightsaber back on his belt. "Jedi don't buy their lightsabers. We make them."  
  
"Make them? How?"  
  
He sighed. "Onara, I would love nothing more than to stand here and chat with you about lightsaber construction, but we really should be getting back."  
  
Then Obi-Wan felt a drop on his face. He looked up. The sky had clouded over and thunder rolled ominously. He looked back at Onara. A corner of her mouth curled up.  
  
"Looks like we can't win, Obi-Wan. First a valkon, now rain."  
  
"We'll make it back before it starts," he assured her as they moved off through the trees.  
  
"Want to bet we don't?" she asked, an impish smile on her face.  
  
"Jedi don't bet," Obi-Wan replied as he moved a low-hanging branch out of her way.  
  
Onara rolled her eyes. "You know, you really should lighten up, Obi-Wan."  
  
He frowned. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Jedi don't bet," she said mockingly, mimicking his accented voice perfectly. "You would think I had asked you to do something perfectly sinful."  
  
"Well, would you?"  
  
"Would I what?"  
  
"Ask me to do something perfectly sinful."  
  
"Of course not," Onara retorted. "What do you take me for?"  
  
She walked alongside him in silence for a moment. Then she bit her lower lip and slid a glance over at him.  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Umm, what would be considered perfectly sinful for a Jedi to do?"  
  
Obi-Wan tried to keep the laughter out of his voice. "Oh, lots of things."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
He looked over at her and winked. "Things."  
  
Onara's eyes narrowed. "Like. What. Things?" she said slowly and firmly as if she were speaking to someone who didn't understand the language.  
  
"Use your imagination."  
  
Onara stared at him for a moment, then her eyes widened and her cheeks colored. However, before either could say another word the clouds above them opened up and a torrent of rain poured down on them.  
  
"Oh, wonderful! I hate being wet," Onara moaned as the heavy rain beat on her head, plastering her hair to her face, neck and shoulders.  
  
Obi-Wan wasn't fond of being wet either, but he didn't mind this time. The rain was washing away not only the blood and gore from his battle with the valkon, but the stench of death he imagined still clung to him. Raising his head to the sky, he let the rain flow over his face. He blissfully closed his eyes, the drops beating against his eyelids. Opening his mouth, he let some of the cool water slip down his throat. Then he felt Onara tugging on his arm.  
  
"Come on. We need to get out of this," she shouted over a loud growl of thunder.  
  
Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked down at her. He smiled widely. She looked like a bedraggled, wet little puppy. Onara frowned at him through the wet strands of hair clinging to her face, her dark eyes flashing.  
  
"Well, just so you know, Obi-Wan, you don't look any better. Now, shall we go? We're going to drown if we stay out here."  
  
"All right," Obi-wan said laughing as he took her arm and led her through the trees to the manor.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
The rain was falling even harder and the wind had picked up as they arrived at the manor. Thunder boomed around them and lightning crashed nearby. Obi- Wan gazed up at the window to the bridal chamber. It looked warm and inviting. He glanced over at Onara. Her dress was completely soaked and it clung, rather provocatively he thought, to her slender body. He quickly drew his gaze away from her body and up to her face. Teeth chattering and lips trembling, she stared miserably at him through the rain hissing and streaming around them.  
  
"What's wrong?" she cried through another roar of thunder.  
  
"My fight with the valkon. I need to rest a bit before I attempt this."  
  
Onara nodded. She looked around, then took his hand and led him along the walls of the manor to a small alcove. There was a stone bench inside it. Obi-Wan swept away the wet leaves from off the seat and he and Onara sat. The alcove didn't offer much protection from the rain, however, but Obi-Wan didn't plan to be here long. He just needed a few minutes to collect his strength before he called upon the Force again. He felt Onara trembling next to him. He reached over and put his arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. His Jedi clothing was designed to keep him well protected from the elements no matter what climate he was in. Onara, on the other hand, was clad only in a thin dress.  
  
"I'm sorry, Onara," he said as he rubbed her arm.  
  
"S-s-s-sorry? About what?" she asked, teeth chattering.  
  
"About all this." He waved at the rain falling about them. "If we had stayed in the chamber---."  
  
"N-n-n-no, Obi-Wan. Don't be s-s-s-sorry. I had f-f-f-fun."  
  
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. Being attacked by a ferocious beast and stuck outside in a downpour wasn't exactly his idea of fun.  
  
"M-m-m-maybe that's not the right word," Onara said at his expression. "I...I..." she stopped, then continued, her voice warm and low. "I l-l-l- liked being with you, Obi-Wan. I w-w-w-wouldn't changed what happened t-t-t- tonight for anything in the world."  
  
Obi-Wan looked down into her face. She was gazing softly up at him, her dark eyes pulling him into a place he both longed and feared to go. He reached over and stroked her cold, wet cheek.  
  
"I liked being with you too, Onara."  
  
"T-t-t-truly?"  
  
"Yes, truly."  
  
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She sighed and nestled her face deep against his shoulder. She was trembling harder now. Obi-Wan held her tighter as he moved his lips along her face and over to her ear.  
  
"I need to get inside you," he whispered.  
  
Then he stopped, his heart pounding as he realized what he'd just said. He quickly pulled away from her.  
  
"No, that's not what I meant to say," he said hurriedly. "I need to get you inside. That's what I meant to say. Forgive me, I didn't mean to sound as if I---"  
  
Onara reached up and, placing her fingers on his lips, stopped his mouth. She laughed softly.  
  
"D-d-d-don't worry, Obi-Wan," she said, her dark eyes flashing with humor. "I know what you m-m-m-meant. P-p-p-perhaps we could sneak in?"  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "And face your grandmother's fury? I think I'd rather tangle with that valkon again."  
  
Onara laughed and snuggled closer to him. He put both arms around her, but he could feel she was trying hard not to shake against him. Obi-Wan took a deep breath. He felt pretty much recovered, though he would have preferred resting a bit longer. However, he didn't want to risk Onara coming down with something either. He eased off the bench, pulling her up with him.  
  
"You're r-r-r-rested?" she asked.  
  
He nodded and took her hand, leading her to just under the bridal chamber window. The rain was pouring down in sheets now and, as Obi-Wan looked up to gauge the distance to the window, it flooded his eyes and seeped down his nose. He blinked away the water, then looked over at Onara.  
  
"Are you ready?" he shouted as a roll of thunder bellowed over them.  
  
Onara nodded. Obi-Wan swept her up in his arms. Her whole body was shaking violently now. He held her tight. She slipped her arms about his neck, her wet face nestling deep in his shoulder. Obi-Wan closed his eyes as he concentrated on the Force.  
  
He slowly drew it into his body and it filled him, flowing through his blood, his muscles and seeping into the very marrow of his bones. Once he felt completely in control of it, he opened his eyes, looked up at the window and leapt upwards.  
  
To be continued.... 


	9. Part Nine

TITLE: First Knight - Part Nine  
  
-------------  
  
Anakin uncrossed his arms as another roll of thunder boomed through the manor. However, the thunder could not compete with Lady Tsara's snoring. He looked over at her. Her knitting lay in her lap, her chins resting upon her chest. A thin strand of spittle dangled from the corner of her open mouth from which was coming a sound which would have made the fiercest Tusken Raider flee in terror.  
  
Anakin grimaced and looked away from her. He sighed and re-crossed his arms. The thunderstorm had been going on for some time now, but he still had not sensed Obi-Wan's presence in the bridal chamber. Anakin was tempted to go look for his master and Onara. Of course, he was also aware that if he were to do so, Lady Tsara and the others would learn the two had snuck out of the bridal chamber. Anakin was pretty sure that definitely was not allowed during the blessing ceremony, therefore he didn't want to take the chance of getting them into trouble. And, anyway, Obi-Wan was a very capable Jedi. There wasn't much his master couldn't handle. Anakin had been a witness to that over the years.  
  
He yawned as he rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't terribly tired, but he wouldn't pass up the offer of a nice warm bed if it were offered to him either. Then he heard a sound from within the bridal chamber. He sat up. It was Obi-Wan. Anakin could feel him. He sat back in his chair and relaxed. Only a few more hours till dawn. He closed his eyes and, as he let himself slumber lightly for a bit, despite all the racket Lady Tsara was making with her snoring, wondered if Obi-Wan and Onara had made love in the rain. And what it had felt like.  
  
-----------------  
  
Onara held tight to Obi-Wan as he landed on the ledge of the bridal chamber window. She felt him stagger a bit, and the thought flashed through her mind he was going to fall backwards with her in his arms. However, Obi-Wan quickly regained his balance, stepping off the ledge and into the chamber. He lowered her to the floor. She released his neck and moved away from him. They both were dripping water onto the carpet, but Obi-Wan's Jedi clothing didn't seem to be as soaked as hers.  
  
Onara looked down at herself. Her dress clung to her body, showing every inch of her. Her cheeks colored. She might as well have worn that shameless blessing gown. She looked back up and saw Obi-Wan was staring at her body too. Then he looked up, his eyes meeting hers.  
  
"I'll get you some towels," he said quickly. He turned and went into the 'fresher.  
  
Onara went over to the window. She waved her hand in front of the sensor which would lower the glass. She turned back toward the chamber, rubbing her arms. The room was cold and her being wet didn't help.  
  
"Here."  
  
Onara turned and Obi-Wan handed her a towel. She took it and worked on drying her hair. Obi-Wan, meanwhile, had moved over to the fireplace.  
  
"I'll make a fire," he said as he knelt down. "I suggest you get out of those wet clothes before you catch your death."  
  
Onara lowered the towel from her head. "And just what am I supposed to wear?"  
  
There were no other clothes in the chamber and her ceremonial robe had been taken away. Obi-Wan looked at her over his shoulder.  
  
"Take a sheet off the bed and wrap yourself in it."  
  
He turned back to the fireplace. Onara stared at the back of his head. Take a sheet off the bed and wrap herself in it? Really? Did he think she was going to traipse around in the chamber wearing only a bedsheet?  
  
"Well, you can wear that or nothing," she heard him say as he continued to work on the fire.  
  
Onara jumped. Was he reading her mind again? She shivered and realized she really did want to get out of these wet, uncomfortable clothes. Even her undergarments were soaked. She went over to the bed, pushing back the gauzy curtain surrounding it. She pulled back the covers, wondering where her father had found this monstrosity. The bed was big enough for six people to sleep comfortably in. She pulled off one of the top sheets and turned back to Obi-Wan. He had finished with the fire. She walked over to the fireplace and, the sheet bunched under her arm, held her hands to it.  
  
"Feels nice," she said.  
  
Obi-Wan rose next to her as he also held his hands before the fire.  
  
"It would feel even nicer if you were to get out of those wet clothes."  
  
Onara tilted her head up at him. "You seem most intent, Master Jedi, on getting me out of my clothes."  
  
"Only because I don't want your father or grandmother blaming me if you come down with pneumonia."  
  
"Grandmother!" Onara gasped.  
  
She looked down at her dress. Not only was it wet, there were grass stains on it and, she also saw, it was ripped near the bottom where the valkon's claws had torn through it. She looked at Obi-Wan. His tunic, though most of the blood had been washed away by the rain, still had had some splatters of blood on it, along with grass stains and smears of mud.  
  
"She's going to know we went outside, Obi-Wan. She'll be furious."  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. "That's the least of my concerns. Now, are you going to get out of those wet clothes or shall I have to do the honors?"  
  
Onara stepped away, clutching the balled-up sheet in front of her like a shield.  
  
"You'll do no such thing," she said fiercely. She stared hard at Obi-Wan as he continued to gaze back at her. "Well, are you going to turn around or what?"  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. He moved away from the fireplace and went over to stand in front of the window, his arms crossed over his chest, his back to the room.  
  
"Is this better?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes," Onara replied as she quickly unfastened her dress and stepped out of it.  
  
"And don't you dare turn around until I'm done," she went on as she took off her undergarments.  
  
She heard Obi-Wan laugh softly. Onara quickly dried herself off with the towel. She was about to wrap the sheet around her, but something about the way Obi-Wan had laughed made her stop. She looked over to where he was still standing facing the window and saw what he had been laughing about.  
  
He was looking at her reflection in the window's glass! Onara's eyes widened. He could see everything! She hastily wrapped the sheet about her body. Then she reached over, snatched a wine goblet from off the table and flung it at the back of his head.  
  
Obi-Wan quickly turned, faster than Onara thought anyone could move, and neatly caught the goblet. He grinned as he tossed it in his hand.  
  
"Really, Onara," he said as he walked over to her, placing the goblet back on the table. "Don't you know goblets are made for drinking, not for tossing."  
  
"Oh! You...you...horrible man! Why didn't you say something?"  
  
Obi-Wan walked over until he was standing right in front of her. He gazed down at her, his blue-gray eyes warm and deep in the firelight.  
  
"And spoil that lovely vision," he murmured.  
  
Onara shivered at his words, but the idea he had watched her undress and not said a word infuriated her. She turned away from him. However, she discovered that walking wrapped in a bedsheet required a bit more dexterity than she had imagined. She stumbled slightly, her feet tangling in the sheet. Obi-Wan grabbed her arm to steady her, but she angrily shook him off.  
  
"Let go of me!" she cried.  
  
She made her way over to the chair and, checking to make sure the sheet was wrapped securely about her body, sat in it. She then scooted the chair around until she was facing the fire.  
  
She heard Obi-Wan walk up behind her. "I'm sorry, Onara. I shouldn't have spied on you like that."  
  
"I would think a Jedi Knight," Onara fumed, "would not stoop so low as to watch a lady undress when she has specifically stated she did not want to be watched. And if, by chance, he were to see her as she undressed, he would at least have the decency to say something."  
  
"You're right, Onara. Please forgive me. It's just that when I saw you, I was suddenly struck dumb and found myself unable to speak. Your loveliness made speech impossible."  
  
Onara snorted softly as she gazed into the fire. What a smooth talker he was. The Jedi were renowned throughout the galaxy for their negotiating skills. That certainly involved a lot of smooth talking.  
  
"And know this," Obi-Wan went on, his voice low and warm. "Although I am a Jedi, I'm not impervious to beauty."  
  
Onara rolled her eyes and kept her gaze fastened on the fire.  
  
"And you did order me not to turn around until you were done," Obi-Wan added.  
  
Onara slowly turned from the fire and glared up at Obi-Wan. Just as she suspected he was smiling at her.  
  
"Oh, so now it's my fault you spied on me. Humph!"  
  
She angrily crossed her arms over her chest and turned back to the fire.  
  
"Again, please forgive my indiscretion," Obi-Wan said. "Now, why don't you get into bed?"  
  
She looked back up at him, her eyes narrowing. "And do what, may I ask?"  
  
He frowned. "And get some rest," he replied as he went over and picked her wet clothes off the floor. "What else did you think I meant?"  
  
"What are you doing with my clothes?"  
  
She blushed as she watched him pick up her undergarments.  
  
Obi-Wan draped them over his arm. "I'm going to hang these somewhere so they'll dry."  
  
"I could have done that," Onara said.  
  
"But you didn't, did you?"  
  
"Are you calling me a slob, Master Obi-Wan?"  
  
"No, but it's apparent you're used to having people pick up after you."  
  
Onara gasped, her eyes widening. "Now you're saying I'm spoiled!"  
  
"Onara," Obi-Wan said calmly. "I am not saying anything about you. I am merely making observations. It is you who are labeling yourself so. Perhaps that is how you see yourself."  
  
"Oh, you!" Onara cried as she searched around for something to throw at him.  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head and laughed. "If it will make you feel any better and, hopefully, calm you down, you can watch me undress. Then we will be even."  
  
Onara's mouth dropped open at his words, her heart thudding in her chest.  
  
"I most certainly will not watch you undress, Master Kenobi!" she cried. "What do you take me for?"  
  
She whipped her head away from him and looked hard into the orange-red flames of the fire.  
  
"All right. I'll dry myself off in the 'fresher. Which you could have done if you had really not wanted me to see you," he added with a teasing laugh. "And I'll hang your clothes up in there too."  
  
Onara said nothing, but she did blush at the idea that he thought she had wanted him to spy on her. She frowned. She most certainly had not wanted him to see her naked and was about to tell him so but, instead, she kept her eyes focused on the fire.  
  
When she heard the 'fresher door slide shut behind her, she released a deep breath and put her hand on her cheek. Obi-Wan was confusing her and she did not like being confused. One minute it felt as if he was going to kiss her. The next, as if it were the last thing on his mind. However, he had kissed her in the rain. Onara scowled. But only on the forehead. Then she smiled. But he had whispered those words in her ear. She shivered. How deliciously improper they had sounded, especially in his rich, warm voice. No one had ever said anything like that to her. Then she frowned. But, he'd also said he hadn't meant them. Or had he?  
  
Onara twisted the edge of the sheet around her fingers. Well, she mused, he had said she was beautiful, and that was why he had spied on her in the window. Onara suddenly wished there was a mirror in the chamber. There was one in the 'fresher but she certainly wasn't going in there while he was in it. She just wanted to look at her reflection for she had never thought of herself as beautiful. Her father said she was, but all fathers said that about their daughters. Grandmother never commented on her looks one way or the other. She had always found other things to nag and pester Onara about.  
  
Onara was tempted to go over to the window and look at herself, but that reminded her of Obi-Wan's spying. She gritted her teeth. Then she again recalled what he had said. That even though he was a Jedi, he found her beautiful. She sighed. She was so confused. She wished her aunts were here. They knew a lot about men. More than she did. Onara had learned much at the Cloister; history, science, philosophy, literature. But one thing she hadn't learned about was men. Especially Jedi men.  
  
However, before Onara could dwell on her thoughts further she heard the 'fresher door open. She deliberately kept her face turned towards the fire. She heard Obi-Wan walking about the chamber. Then she felt something soft on her shoulder. She looked over. It was a honeyrose. Obi-Wan had plucked one from one of the vases scattered about the room. He was stroking her bare shoulder with it. She looked up at him.  
  
"Do you forgive me for spying on you?" he asked, his eyes soft on her.  
  
Onara was about to answer when she saw Obi-Wan was wearing only a large towel which was wrapped low around his hips. Her gaze traveled slowly over his body. She had seen men's bodies before, of course, but never in quite this context; alone in a room bathed with both candle and firelight, the scent of flowers heavy in the air, a storm raging outside and, nearby, a huge, soft, warm bed. A bed in which she was supposed to lose her virginity.  
  
She swallowed heavily as she continued to stare at Obi-Wan's lean, muscular body. And the way he had the towel wrapped around him, it revealed just enough of his hips and the upper part of his pelvis that her thoughts could not help but wonder as to what lay beneath it.  
  
"Well? Do you?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Onara started and quickly drew her gaze from his body. She looked up at him, reached over and took the honeyrose. She held it to her nose as she breathed in its sweet, musky scent.  
  
"Yes, I forgive you. For now," she added.  
  
"Good," Obi-Wan said as he moved past her and sat on the floor in front of the fireplace.  
  
Onara kept an eye on that towel, but he had tied it in such a way she doubted it would accidentally slip off. She then looked at his arm.  
  
"Obi-Wan, you've been hurt!" she gasped.  
  
He turned and looked over at her. "What?"  
  
She pointed at the scratches on his lower right arm. "Didn't you know?"  
  
Obi-Wan turned his arm as he examined it. He shrugged and looked back at the fire.  
  
"I've been hurt worse," he said nonchalantly.  
  
"But, those scratches must be treated. You could get an infection."  
  
Onara rose from the chair, careful not to trip in the sheet. She hunted around the vases of flowers until she found what she was looking for. It wasn't a flower, more like a weed actually, but it was often included in bouquets to add some color. Its leaves were a dark red color, but it wasn't the leaves Onara was interested in. She went back to Obi-Wan and knelt next to him, making sure the sheet was wrapped securely around her body.  
  
"What's that?" he asked.  
  
"Mother's Milk."  
  
"Mother's Milk?"  
  
Onara nodded as she broke the stem of the plant. A white liquid oozed out of the broken end.  
  
"The sap has healing properties. Now, be still."  
  
Onara moved the end of the stem along the cuts on Obi-Wan's arm. Once she had enough sap on them, she gently massaged the fluid into the cuts. She tried not to let herself dwell on how smooth and warm his skin felt under her fingers. Once she was done, she moved away, but remained sitting on the floor. Obi-Wan inclined his head to her, giving her small smile.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
The two sat in silence for a bit, the crackling of the fire the only sound. Onara looked at her fingers, the tips of which were still tingling from her having touched his skin. She looked over at him. He was still staring into the fire.  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"A decicred for your thoughts."  
  
Obi-Wan chuckled and the sound lightened Onara's heart. He turned and looked at her.  
  
"I was just thinking of the report I will have to write regarding my mission here. And whether I should mention the blessing ceremony."  
  
Onara smiled. "Well, if your reports are anything like the reports the managers of my father's estates must file every month, I would imagine you're not allowed to leave out a single iota of information."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled and nodded. "I am not."  
  
"So, what will you say?" she asked, inching closer to him.  
  
Obi-Wan tilted his head. "I'm not sure. I was never as good as Qui-Gon at writing mission reports. He was notorious for doing things which would have been frowned upon by the Jedi Council, but when he wrote them up in his reports, they always sounded terribly innocuous."  
  
"Qui-Gon? Who is he?"  
  
"Was," Obi-Wan said, his eyes darkening. "He's dead."  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Obi-Wan. Was he a friend?"  
  
"Yes, and more. He was my master."  
  
"Your master? You mean, in the way you are master to Anakin."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "He was killed on a mission. Years ago."  
  
Onara heard the pain and sorrow in his voice. She reached over and put her hand over his.  
  
"You miss him, don't you?" she said softly.  
  
"Very much so. There isn't a day that goes by I don't wish he were still alive."  
  
Obi-Wan then turned his hand up so he could clasp hers with it. She took this as a sign and moved closer until she was sitting next to him, her bare shoulder touching his.  
  
"What was he like? If you don't mind talking about him," she quickly added.  
  
Onara suddenly wanted to know everything about Obi-Wan and those who had been important to him.  
  
"No, I don't mind."  
  
He squeezed her hand, but gazed over at the fire as he spoke.  
  
"He was strong, wise and good." Then Obi-Wan laughed softly and looked over at her. "We didn't always see eye to eye on things, but I could not have asked for a better master. I was honored to have been chosen by him."  
  
"So, you're chosen by another Jedi to be their apprentice?"  
  
"Yes. When an initiate reaches the age of thirteen he or she is chosen, either by a Knight or a Master, to be that Jedi's Padawan."  
  
"And what happens before you turn thirteen?"  
  
"All Jedi children live in the Temple. They are divided into ten different clans. Master Yoda instructs all the clans."  
  
"Master Yoda? Who is he? You mentioned him before."  
  
"He is the wisest and strongest of all the Jedi. He's nearly 800 years old. And no taller than the children he trains."  
  
"Really? How old were you when you started your training?"  
  
"I was brought to the Temple as a baby. Candidates come to the Temple when they're between the ages of six months and five years old."  
  
Onara's eyes widened. "You take children away from their families?" she gasped.  
  
Obi-Wan frowned at her. "We don't take them, Onara. We offer to train them. If their families give us permission, then we take them to the Temple."  
  
Onara shook her head. "I don't think I could ever give up a child of mine. Even to become a Jedi." She shrugged. "But, I won't have to worry about making such a decision. I will never have a Force sensitive baby." She grimaced. "Edress is far from being Force sensitive. Actually, I don't think he's sensitive about anything. Except money and power."  
  
Then Onara shuddered at the thought of having to bear Edress children and what she would have to endure from him to do so. Obi-Wan reached over and stroked her cheek.  
  
"Don't think of him, Onara," he said softly, his eyes gazing deep into hers. "He's not here now. But I am." "  
  
To be continued... 


	10. Part Ten

First Knight - Part Ten  
  
---------------  
  
Onara's heart skipped a beat at his words. She was terribly conscious of the fact they were sitting next to each other, both of them naked except for a towel on his part and a sheet on hers, in front of a warm and cozy fire. Onara quickly looked down as a rush of heat surged through her body.  
  
"Obi-Wan, what is the Temple like?" she asked, her gaze still fixed on her lap, her cheeks burning hotly.  
  
"What is it like? Do you mean what does it look like or what is it like living there?"  
  
"Both," she answered, her head still down, for she was too afraid to look at him, too afraid of the feelings and sensations which were racing through her body.  
  
"Well, the Temple itself is located in a low-rise sector of Coruscant. It was constructed to symbolize a Padawan's path to enlightenment in the Force. There are five towers which soar above the complex itself. The Temple Spire is the central tower. It is where Jedi go for quiet thought and meditation. The High Council Tower is where the members of the Jedi Council meet. The Council of First Knowledge is where we go to find answers to questions we may have about Jedi history."  
  
"History!" Onara cried, looking over at him. "Oh, I do so love history. It's one of my favorites modules at the Cloister."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at her. "The knowledge we have about the Jedi goes back 25,000 years."  
  
"Really? 25,000 years?"  
  
Onara shook her head. The historical records regarding Ajhane at the Cloister went back only 5,000 years. It was staggering to her to know there was so much knowledge out in the galaxy.  
  
"What are the other two towers?" she asked.  
  
"The Council of Reconciliation is located in one tower. It was from there your father's petition to intercede in the war here on Ahjane was received. And the last tower is the Tower of Reassignment."  
  
"Reassignment?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "It is where initiates who are not chosen to become Padawans go to be reassigned."  
  
"So not all initiates are chosen?"  
  
"No, they are not." A corner of Obi-Wan's mouth curled up. "When I was thirteen, I feared I was not going to be chosen and would be assigned to the Agri-Corps."  
  
"But you were chosen by this Qui-Gon you spoke of?"  
  
"Yes, I was very lucky. Qui-Gon had gone for years without a Padawan. The last one he had trained had been a disappointment to him."  
  
"And when Anakin was thirteen, you chose him."  
  
Obi-Wan didn't answer right away.  
  
"No, I did not choose him," he finally said in a clipped voice.  
  
"But, I don't understand. You just said---."  
  
"Anakin is...different. He became my apprentice at the age of nine. Before that he had lived on Tatooine. As a slave with his mother. My master found him, discovered he was very strong with the Force and brought him back to Coruscant."  
  
"He took Anakin away from his mother?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "She agreed to it. She wanted something better for him than a slave's life."  
  
"It must have been very difficult for her."  
  
"Yes, it was. But, from what Qui-Gon told me she was a very loving and brave woman."  
  
"But, I don't understand, Obi-Wan. If your master found him, how did you wind up with him?"  
  
"I made a promise to my master to train him. At first the Council did not want Anakin to be trained. At nine he was far too old. But, as was his way, Qui-Gon was determined to defy them. With his last breath he bade me train Anakin. And I promised I would."  
  
"Oh, I see. Do you regret it?" she asked, sensing some uneasiness from him.  
  
He turned and looked at her, his blue-gray eyes studying her face as if he were trying to determine whether she was someone he could put his trust in.  
  
"Sometimes," he whispered. He took in and released a deep breath. "I feel guilty for having such thoughts, but sometimes I do regret having made that promise."  
  
"Why?" she asked gently.  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged his shoulders and glanced over at the fire. "Anakin is strong, powerful, and very gifted. But, he's also undisciplined and unpredictable. Dangerous qualities for a Jedi to have."  
  
"Because of the power you Jedi possess?"  
  
Obi-Wan turned back to her. "Yes, and Anakin is more powerful than any Jedi I have ever known."  
  
"That must be a heavy burden on you," she said. "Do you bear it alone?"  
  
Then she bit her lip for she realized her question could be interpreted as an intimate one.  
  
"No. Although I sometimes share my concerns about Anakin with Master Yoda and Master Windu. But, primarily, I bear this particular burden alone."  
  
"Master Windu? Is he little and old too?"  
  
Obi-Wan threw back his head and laughed. Onara smiled. She liked the sound of his laughter. She suddenly had the feeling he didn't do it very often.  
  
"No, hardly," he said grinning. "He's very tall. And not nearly as old as Yoda. Though don't tell him I said that," Obi-Wan added in a whisper, his eyes dancing.  
  
"I promise to keep your secret," Onara replied smiling. "So, there's no one else you share your thoughts and feelings with?"  
  
Obi-Wan gazed solemnly at her. "Are you asking if there is someone in my life, Onara? Someone special?"  
  
She nodded, but said nothing, suddenly fearing his answer. She realized she couldn't bear if it there was someone else in his life.  
  
"No, there is no one."  
  
"Has there ever been?"  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes darkened. He sighed and looked away from her at the fire.  
  
"Yes, there was. Once. A long time ago."  
  
"Did she die, too?"  
  
"No, she did not die," he replied softly. He turned and fixed her with a penetrating gaze. "Do you know why I didn't want to go through with the blessing ceremony?"  
  
Onara shook her head. She had thought it had something to do with some sort of prohibition from the Jedi Order regarding such things, but she wasn't sure.  
  
"When I was sixteen, I met a girl. Her name was Silia."  
  
"Was she a Jedi?" Onara asked.  
  
Obi-Wan didn't answer her right away. He looked into the fire, then back at her and, once again, she felt his scrutiny as if he were deciding whether to confide in her.  
  
"No, she wasn't," he finally said. "I used to sneak away sometimes from the Jedi Temple and roam the streets and lower levels of Coruscant. When Jedi are young we're required to spend all our time in the Temple, in study, training and meditation. When we're not on missions with our Masters, of course. But, when you're young and there's a city the size of a planet just outside your door..." and Obi-Wan smiled ruefully.  
  
Onara nodded. She understood. She had never been to Coruscant, but had heard of its wonders. It would have been hard for her to resist the lure of the capital of the Republic.  
  
"Anyway, I met Silia when I stopped to watch a Drodregian puppet show. She was standing in the crowd, just one of many gathered there that warm evening, but she stood out. It was as if there was this light around her. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. At first, I just stood there, gawking at her. Then she must have felt my eyes on her, for she turned and smiled. Soon we were talking and we talked for the rest of that evening. I had to return to the Temple, but we agreed to meet again. Before we knew it, we were inseparable."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped and lowered his eyes. Onara touched his shoulder. He looked over at her, his eyes full of memory.  
  
"We spent most of the time we could find to meet walking along the streets of Coruscant, exploring all its different levels, talking about our lives and....and doing other things."  
  
Onara was surprised to see Obi-Wan's cheeks color. Then he shook his head and laughed softly.  
  
"It was the other things I looked forward to the most, that used to haunt me when I tried to sleep in my room at the Temple."  
  
"Were you a virgin?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "As the days went on, those other things became more heated, more intense. Just kissing and touching wasn't enough. It was like standing at the edge of the ocean with just your toes in the water, when what you really want to do is jump into the surf and swim out to the deepest part."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Obi-Wan swallowed. "One night we were at the place we usually met for our trysts. It was a room we'd found in an abandoned apartment building. There were a lot of those in Coco Town."  
  
"Coco Town?"  
  
"It's a rather dilapidated industrial area of Coruscant." Obi-Wan smiled. "A friend of mine owns a diner there. Dexter's Diner."  
  
"Is the food good?"  
  
"It's filling. Dex serves these things called sliders which are actually quite tasty. But Dex is the real reason for going there. He's quite the character. Done everything, been everywhere, seen everything."  
  
"He sounds fascinating."  
  
"Maybe I'll take you to meet him someday," Obi-Wan said smiling.  
  
Then his smile slid away and Onara knew he was remembering that come morning she would be leaving for Kindah Province as Edress's wife, and he would be leaving Ahjane to return to his life as Jedi. She touched his hand.  
  
"Go on," she said softly.  
  
He nodded. "Silia and I were at our usual meeting place in Coco Town. We had been kissing, touching, that sort of thing, but this time we'd gone farther than we'd ever had before. I remember my heart was beating so hard I thought I was going to die, and I couldn't seem to get enough air."  
  
Obi-Wan's voice faded away. He looked at Onara, than glanced away as if embarrassed.  
  
"What I was doing was forbidden, Onara. Padawans are not only prohibited from marrying, but from engaging in sexual activities of any kind. It is believed that such...passions will distract us from our path to enlightenment regarding the Force. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but Silia was so beautiful...and so persuasive."  
  
He stopped and swallowed hard.  
  
"We were close," he went on. "So close to that sweetness which I had only dreamt of in the darkness of my room at the Temple. And then, just when we were about to...to..." He stopped and shook his head. "Silia grabbed my arms and asked me if I was going to marry her."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "She knew I was a Jedi. I had never hidden that from her. She knew how important it was to me. I told her I was a Padawan and I was forbidden from marrying. She pleaded with me to give up my life in the Order. But I couldn't just throw it all away, everything I had worked so hard for. And I couldn't leave my master. I could only imagine how disappointed he would have been with me if I left the Order. I had done so once before, you see. I told Silia that. But it made her angry. She said she didn't want to see me anymore, and she pushed me away as she tried to leave."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped and closed his eyes. "I don't know what came over me, Onara. Truly I don't. Maybe it was because I was so close to finally having her after all those nights of just touching and kissing her." He laughed bitterly. "Raging hormones and all that, you know." His voice grew soft and sad. "I suppose even we Jedi are not immune to them." He lowered his voice. "And, I guess....I thought she loved me. And, loving me, she wouldn't have asked me to choose between her and the Jedi Order."  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at Onara. "I begged her not to leave, but she laughed at me. Called me a coward. Said that's what she got for fooling around with a Jedi for everyone knew we were just emasculated monks. And she laughed again."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes were now unfocused and unseeing. Onara took his hands and was shocked at how cold they were.  
  
"I grabbed her arms and shook her," he went on "I told her to stop laughing. That it wasn't funny. But she wouldn't stop. Then, suddenly, I was angry."  
  
Obi-Wan's voice grew distant and reflective. "I had felt anger before, of course, but this was different. This anger was fueled by love and lust. And heartache."  
  
Obi-Wan was now squeezing Onara's hands so hard they throbbed, but she kept silent. She sensed this was something he had never revealed to anyone.  
  
"I pushed her back on the cot. She screamed for me to stop, but it was as if this freezing, empty darkness had fallen over my soul. I was so cold I was actually trembling. She tried to get away, but I held her down." Obi- Wan's voice caught and Onara heard the horror in it.  
  
"I...I held her down with the Force," he whispered.  
  
He looked over at Onara, his face drawn, his eyes haunted. "She felt what I was doing to her. And the fear, Onara, the fear that was in her eyes. It was horrible to see, but at the same time I felt so powerful. Silia began to cry, squeezing my arms, pleading with me to let her go."  
  
Onara's heart stuttered in her chest as she drew in a sharp breath. But Obi- Wan did not seem to notice. He was too lost in his memories.  
  
"And then, just like that, it was gone. The anger, the coldness...the love. All of it. And I was empty, like a jar someone had tipped over. I released her. She lay on the cot, her hands clasped to her face, weeping. However, she did not run away. Then I realized she was afraid to. She feared I would use my Jedi powers to stop her. I told her I would not harm her and she could leave in peace. She slowly lowered her hands from her face and looked over at me."  
  
Obi-Wan released a heavy, shuddering breath. "I will never forget the look on her face. I saw the fear, of course, but also sadness and regret. Then she ran out of the room. And from that day I vowed I would never, ever let myself lose control again."  
  
He looked into Onara's eyes and laughed, but it was a laugh filled with bitterness.  
  
"Do you know what the younger Padawans call me at the Temple?"  
  
Onara shook her head.  
  
"Oldie-Wan Kenobi. Because they think I'm such a stick-in-the-mud." He laughed again, the sound even more bitter. "And I suppose I am. I'm not that old, you know, but I act older than my age. I have to. And I know it drives Anakin crazy. But he doesn't understand. I can never let what happened with Silia happen again. I touched the dark side of the Force that night, Onara. And, for a Jedi, that is a very dangerous thing. I have to watch myself. Always."  
  
"But Obi-Wan," Onara said. "You were just a boy. And you're also human. You're not a droid or a mindless machine. What? Are the Jedi so perfect and unflawed you don't make mistakes? Are you so much better than the rest of us?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked at her, his forehead creased.  
  
"I didn't say that," he said sharply.  
  
"But you certainly implied it. You make it sound as if you Jedi can't be angry or jealous or lustful sometimes, like the rest of us common, ordinary people."  
  
His eyes flared. "You're right, Onara. We can't."  
  
"But, that's impossible," she cried, squeezing his hands. "Don't you see what you're doing, Obi-Wan? You're holding yourself to a standard no sane or sentient being could possibly meet. And, really, you can't continue to hold yourself accountable for something that happened when you were just a boy."  
  
"I must hold myself accountable, Onara," Obi-Wan said firmly. "We Jedi are not like others. We possess great power. And with such power comes responsibility."  
  
"Responsibility yes, but not constant guilt and recrimination."  
  
Onara released his hands. She reached up and gently stroked his face, her fingers trailing over his beard and lips.  
  
"Oh, Obi-Wan, I've know I've only known you for just this night, but I can honestly and truthfully say you are the kindest, bravest, most caring man I've ever met. Don't blame yourself for something that happened when you were young. You're not that sixteen year old boy anymore. You're a man now, a Jedi Knight. I don't understand everything about your Order, but if you were as horrible as you seem to think you are, I don't think you would have been allowed to become a Jedi Knight, much less master to an apprentice."  
  
"How could the Council have judged me, Onara? They didn't know what had happened. I was certain Silia was going to report what I had done, but she didn't. Actually, I never saw her again after that night. I tried to find her, but...."  
  
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I should have gone to the Council myself and confessed. But I was so ashamed. And afraid. I was afraid I would be expelled from the Jedi Order. I couldn't even tell Qui- Gon, and I usually told him everything. I was afraid he would hate me and not want me as his apprentice anymore. I had disappointed him once before and almost lost him as my master. I didn't want to risk losing him again. So, I kept what happened a secret and I vowed I would never, ever make a mistake like that again."  
  
Onara sighed as she stroked Obi-Wan's face. She understood what he was going through for it was almost as if he had his own internal Grandmother, someone always standing by, waiting for him to make a mistake or do the wrong thing and then, to swoop down, black robes flying, wrinkled face twisted with rage, calling him horrible, terrible names. Onara nodded. Yes, she understood perfectly what he was feeling.  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Obi-Wan," she said gently. "You were just a boy."  
  
"No," he said shaking his head. "I wasn't just a boy. I was a Jedi."  
  
Onara sighed. "And Jedi don't make mistakes? Ever? Are all of you truly so arrogant?"  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened at her words. But Onara went on.  
  
"I know you think we here on Ahjane, because we're so close to the Outer Rim and so isolated, don't know what's going in the Republic. But, I've heard the scholars and the proctors talking at the Cloister. They talk about what's happening in the Republic; the corruption in the Senate, the greed of its representatives, the unrest in the Outer Colonies. And they talk about the Jedi Order."  
  
"Really," Obi-Wan said crisply. He folded his arms and fixed her with a sharp look. "And what do they say exactly?"  
  
Onara swallowed, wondering if she had got in over her head. "They say that the Jedi Order has become overconfident and out of touch with the concerns of common beings."  
  
Obi-Wan said nothing, but Onara noted his eyes had become darker. He nodded for her to go on.  
  
"They say the Jedi do the bidding of the Senate but turn a blind eye to what's really going on; the bribery, the corruption, the heavy taxation on the poorer systems while the wealthier Inner-Core systems pay hardly anything."  
  
"And who are these _they_?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyes narrowing.  
  
"Proctor Siomora for one. She teaches Interplanetary Government Relations. She says the Jedi are nothing more than an elitist group of superwarriors who enforce the will of an increasingly corrupt Galactic Senate."  
  
Onara bit her lip, for she saw Obi-Wan's eyes had become icier. She cast her eyes downward, twisting the edge of the sheet about her fingers.  
  
"Do you believe this, Onara? That the Jedi are nothing but elitist superwarriors?"  
  
She raised her head and looked him in the eyes. "No, not at the time I heard Proctor Simora's lecture."  
  
"But now?"  
  
Onara shrugged. "I don't know. I don't deny the Jedi are powerful. I've seen what you do with the Force. But, you seem to want to set yourself above others. Make yourselves...I don't know...more righteous."  
  
"Righteous?"  
  
"Yes. You act as if Jedi don't have the same weaknesses and foibles as us lesser mortals. That you're better than the rest of us."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "You're exaggerating, Onara."  
  
"Am I?" She shrugged again. "Perhaps."  
  
She turned away from him and gazed into the fire. For a long moment, neither said nothing. Then Onara felt Obi-Wan's hand on her arm. She looked over at him and saw something shift in his eyes, as if thoughts were moving about, setting up different paradigms, establishing new patterns of understanding and awareness.  
  
"Am I, Onara?" he asked softly. "Am I righteous?"  
  
"Well, maybe just a little," Onara said, holding up her hand, her forefinger and thumb almost touching.  
  
Obi-Wan smiled and, taking her hand, squeezed it gently.  
  
Onara returned his smile, then sighed. "But, even it didn't work out for you, Obi-Wan, at least, for awhile, you had someone."  
  
"Hasn't there been anyone for you?"  
  
Onara sadly shook her head.  
  
Obi-Wan stroked her hair. "I find that hard to believe, Onara. You're so beautiful. So spirited."  
  
Onara's heart pounded as Obi-Wan continued to caress her hair. Tears stung her eyes. Why couldn't it be Obi-Wan instead of Edress she would be leaving with tomorrow? Then, she realized, her spirits sinking lower, that when she and Edress arrived in Kindah Provnice he would take her to bed as was his right as her husband. And he would be the first to have her.  
  
She thought of her and Obi-Wan's encounter with the valkon in the forest. If Edress had been with her, she had no doubt he would have left her to die. But Obi-Wan had stayed and protected her. He had slain the valkon in her defense, just like one of those brave and handsome heroes in the stories she used to read as a child.  
  
Onara moved away from Obi-Wan's hand. She drew her legs up to her chest, put her arms around her thighs and lowered her face between her knees. She envied Obi-Wan so much. The places he had been, the people he had known, the life he had led. What she wouldn't give to see Coruscant and his wondrous Jedi Temple. What she wouldn't give to be free.  
  
Onara choked back a sob as she pressed her face against her knees. She hadn't wanted to get married! All she had wanted was to live her own life, but it was her duty, both to her father and to her people, to go through with this marriage to Edress. A man who saw her as nothing more than some commodity or piece of property he had purchased. Look at how eagerly he had been willing to barter her virginity to Jerule. And not only was he greedy, he was also as cold and cruel as a late winter's night. Then she felt a hand on her back.  
  
"Onara, please, don't cry," Obi-Wan said as he gently rubbed her shoulders.  
  
"I don't want to," she blubbered, her face still locked between her knees, chafing against the sheet which was becoming soaked with her tears. "I shouldn't be crying at all. So many died and suffered during the war. My marrying Edress has helped to end that suffering. It's selfish of me to think only of myself. I'm just the way Grandmother says I am."  
  
"No, you're not. And it's not selfish to feel what you're feeling," Obi-Wan said soothingly. "No one should have to marry except from love."  
  
"Love!" Onara cried as she raised her hot, wet face to him. "Love? I will never know love! Others will, but I won't."  
  
"Onara..." Obi-Wan began as he reached over to touch her.  
  
But she shook her head wildly, evading his hand.  
  
"Oh, Obi-Wan, don't you see! I don't want Edress to be the first. I want it to be you!"  
  
Obi-Wan stared back at her, but Onara saw the doubt in his eyes, the uncertainty. She sobbed and, stumbling clumsily, got up from the floor, the sheet tangling about her legs. She didn't know where she was going. She just wanted to get away from him. She staggered over to the bed. Then she felt his hands on her arms.  
  
"Let me go," she cried.  
  
But Obi-Wan held her, his hands gripping her. She twisted wildly in his grasp, the tears spilling down her cheeks.  
  
"Onara, be still," Obi-Wan pleaded, but Onara continued to struggle against him, hysterical with the awareness she was destined for nothing but the empty days and lonely nights of a loveless marriage.  
  
"Let me go," she wept. "Please, Obi-Wan, just let me go."  
  
But he didn't let her go. He slipped his arms around her back and pressed her tight against his bare chest. Onara tried to break free, but his arms were like a vise about her. She twisted in them and, as they struggled, she felt the edge of the bed bumping against the back of her legs. Obi-Wan pulled her closer, his breath warm on her face.  
  
"Onara, don't, love, don't," he said softly.  
  
She looked up at him and stopped struggling, calmed by the gentleness in his voice and the understanding in his eyes. Then she stood, quiet and still in his arms, the tears hot on her flushed cheeks, as his warm hands slowly explored the small of her back, and those eyes, those extraordinarily colored eyes, those eyes of sky and sea, gazed deeply into hers.  
  
"Love, I'm here," he whispered. "I'm here."  
  
He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers, then fervently covered her mouth. Onara whimpered, her heart thundering. Her first kiss, and it was the sweetest, most intoxicating thing she had ever experienced. She felt as if she were falling down a well of stars, tendrils of ecstasy spiraling through her veins. She eagerly slid her arms up and around Obi- Wan's neck and, as she did, he pressed her even tighter to him, his warm, sweet mouth burning her very soul.  
  
Then, slowly, gently, he eased her onto the bed.  
  
To be continued.... 


	11. Part Eleven

First Knight - Part Eleven  
  
------------------  
  
Anakin stood from his chair. Lady Tsara looked up at him. She had awoken and returned to her knitting.  
  
"It's not yet dawn," she said sharply.  
  
Anakin frowned. "I know. I'm not going anywhere. Just trying to get the kinks out of my legs."  
  
He did a couple of quick stretches to loosen up his muscles, then sat down. As he did he was suddenly struck by a disturbance through the Force. But it was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. A warm flush spread over his body. He gasped, his eyes widening, as he realized what the source of the disturbance was. It was coming from Obi-Wan. He and Onara were...were.. Anakin swallowed in a tight throat.  
  
He looked over at Lady Tsara. Her head was down, her attention focused on her knitting. He saw she had no idea as to what was happening in the chamber. But, she had assumed Obi-Wan and Onara had been making love from the very beginning. But they hadn't. But now they were.  
  
Anakin squirmed in his chair. Although he wasn't privy to the particulars of what was happening in the chamber, his master's feelings, deep and powerful emotions of joy and ecstasy, were being transmitted to him through the Force. Anakin closed his eyes. As he let himself be swept away on the waves of his master's happiness, he suddenly saw a face in his mind. A face he had not seen in years. The hauntingly beautiful face of a fourteen-year old girl.  
  
The girl had dark eyes, dark hair and a smile that both healed and scarred Anakin's heart. She was smiling at him as they stood together on the dais in the city of Theed, celebrating their victory over the Trade Federation. The girl was dressed in white and looked exactly like the angel he had first mistook her for in Watto's dark, dusty shop on Tatooine. Padme Amidala Naberrie. Anakin sighed, then struggled to suppress a moan as another wave of elation from Obi-Wan flowed through him.  
  
He opened his eyes, swallowing heavily. Maybe he should leave and get as far away from the bridal chamber as possible because, unfortunately, his body was starting to respond to what he was sensing from Obi-Wan. Anakin glanced over at Tsara. She paid him no mind as she focused on her knitting. He was about to get up, then realized he couldn't. Not without possibly embarrassing himself. He gritted his teeth, then decided to distract himself by talking with the dragon lady.  
  
"Lady Tsara?"  
  
"What?" she snapped, not looking up from her needles as they clicked in her hands.  
  
"What if..." Anakin cleared his throat. "What if my Master and Onara aren't...well, aren't done with...with the blessing ceremony at dawn?"  
  
Lady Tsara lowered her knitting as she raised her head, her black eyes razor sharp as she stared at him.  
  
"Humph," she snorted as she took up her knitting again. "You seem to have a lot of faith in your master. I doubt even a Jedi could last all night."  
  
She tilted her head as she pursed her thin, wrinkled lips.  
  
"However, if by chance your master proves to be so vigorous, when dawn comes he may no longer touch Onara for at that moment she will legitimately be Edress's wife. For her to be touched by any man, other than her father, of course, without her husband's permission would be grounds for adultery. She could be put to death."  
  
"What?" Anakin cried.  
  
Lady Tsara stopped her knitting and looked over at him.  
  
"Don't worry, young one. You and I will make certain that doesn't happen."  
  
She gave him a sly smile and went back to her knitting. Anakin shook his head. What a crazy planet this was. The sooner he and his Master got off it, the better.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
"Are you all right, love?" Obi-Wan asked softly as he stroked the damp strands of Onara's hair.  
  
"Yes," she replied, her breath coming quick and fast as she lay in his arms. "Oh, Obi-Wan, that was wonderful! I never, ever imagined it would be like that."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled and kissed her.  
  
"It is done," he said softly as he pulled away from the kiss and caressed her cheek.  
  
Onara smiled up at him. "Yes, it is done."  
  
He gazed down at her, his blue-gray eyes brimming with warmth. Then his expression darkened.  
  
"Onara! I didn't think to ask...it's been so long since I..."  
  
"Obi-Wan, what's the matter? What's wrong?"  
  
"Were you protected?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"What a time to ask," Onara said with a sly smile. "But, do not worry, Obi- Wan. Grandmother gave me a potion before I came to the bridal chamber. I must only have children by my husband."  
  
Obi-Wan released a deep breath. Onara laughed again.  
  
"Feel better now?"  
  
"Much."  
  
"Feel better enough to...?" And she tilted her head winsomely.  
  
"Onara!" Obi-Wan cried in a shocked voice, but he was also smiling. "If I'm not mistaken, aren't you the same young woman who, just a few hours ago, made it very clear, in no uncertain terms, that under no circumstances was she going through with the blessing ceremony?"  
  
"But that was then, Obi-Wan. When I didn't know any better. This is now."  
  
She then gave him a soft, seductive smile as she slowly stroked his arm. Obi-Wan shook his head as he smiled down at her. Edress was a fool. He had assumed because Onara was a virgin she would be unexciting as a lover. But Obi-Wan had discovered she had a naturally passionate nature. Then the thought of the Dynast made him frown.  
  
The image of that loathsome old man wrapping his withered arms around Onara and enjoying her favors sent a bolt of heat surging through Obi-Wan's brain. And, to his dismay, he recognized the feeling. It was jealously. Then he felt Onara's hand on his face. Her touch immediately wiped away all the darkness and he felt nothing but light and happiness.  
  
"Am I dreaming, Obi-Wan?" she whispered as she gazed up at him, her dark eyes full of passion and happiness. "Nothing this wonderful could be real."  
  
Obi-Wan hugged her tight. "If it is a dream, love, I hope I never awaken."  
  
Onara sighed and returned his hug.  
  
"I hope I never awaken too. Now, shall we continue with the blessing ceremony, Master Kenobi?" she asked, her eyes dancing.  
  
Obi-Wan smiled and lowered his face to hers.  
  
"Your wish is my command, milady," he whispered against her lips.  
  
---------------------  
  
Anakin squirmed in his chair. He uncrossed, then re-crossed his arms. All right, he thought, this was getting just a little ridiculous. There had been a lull in the sensations he had been experiencing through the Force from the chamber, but they had started up again and were now even stronger and more intense than before. Anakin clenched his fists as he desperately concentrated on a meditation Obi-Wan had taught him when he had turned thirteen. It was supposed to counteract one of the more embarrassing physical manifestations of his burgeoning adolescence.  
  
"It is time."  
  
Anakin jumped, his concentration broken, and looked over at Lady Tsara.  
  
"Excuse me?" he said.  
  
She glanced at him, a look of irritation on her face.  
  
"Nothing, young one. It is almost dawn. Remain here."  
  
She stood, her knitting firmly in hand. Anakin narrowed his eyes as he watched her leave, her black robes trailing behind her. Good! He was glad the old hag was gone. Then he bit his lip as another wave of elation washed over him. He had never imagined that his master, who was always so stoic, so self-possessed, could ever have such feelings.  
  
But, he was having them and it felt to Anakin as if Obi-Wan had been a prisoner in some dank, dark cell but now, after years of incarceration, was finally able to stand in the glorious blessing that was freedom and light. Anakin had known the Jedi Knight for nearly nine years now, but he was beginning to suspect there were depths to his master he had yet to comprehend.  
  
-----------  
  
"Keep your eyes closed, love. No peeking."  
  
Onara giggled, then pressed her hands tight over her eyes. "How's this?"  
  
"Better."  
  
Onara was sitting up in bed, her dark hair flowing over her bare shoulders, a sheet wrapped securely about her. Although Obi-Wan was now familiar with every centimeter of her lovely body, she had not only re-clothed herself back in the sheet but, when he had gotten out of bed to use the 'fresher, insisted he put his pants on. Which, he had discovered, were still damp, but he put them on anyway. He smiled. He found Onara's maidenly, if somewhat misplaced, modesty charming. Then he focused his attention back on what he was doing. When he was done, he looked over at her.  
  
"All right. On the count of three, you can open your eyes. Ready?"  
  
"Ready," she cried and Obi-Wan could hear the barely suppressed excitement in her voice.  
  
"One, two, three!"  
  
Onara lowered her hands and opened her eyes. She gasped. Then she laughed and clapped her hands. Obi-Wan laughed with her. Dozens and dozens of green and gold flower petals were floating about the chamber. Obi-Wan had plucked the gold petals off the honeyroses and the green ones off another flower, the name of which he knew not.  
  
When he'd had enough, he had placed the piles on the floor. Using the Force, he had then lifted the flower petals up into the air, duplicating the mating dance of the Katarra. The gold and green petals now darted and danced about the chamber, just as the male and female Katarra had done in the glade. His hands raised, Obi-Wan moved the petals towards Onara. She was soon the center of a vortex of green and gold. She laughed joyfully.  
  
"It's beautiful," she cried as she lifted her arms into the cloud of petals whirling around her.  
  
Obi-Wan chuckled. "I'm glad Anakin isn't a witness to this. Ancients know, I've scolded him enough times about his frivolous uses of the Force."  
  
"Oh, Obi-Wan," Onara cried, her face glowing through the petals surrounding her, "this isn't frivolous. Giving someone happiness isn't frivolous."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned at her words. Now that he thought about it, the times when he had reprimanded Anakin about using the Force in such a manner the boy had, by and large, been doing something to make someone laugh, and usually at a time when laughter had been at a premium. One such occasion had been on their mission to Jerrol.  
  
He and Anakin had been assisting the planetary authorities in the evacuation of its population after a massive solar flare had made the planet uninhabitable. While walking through one of the hundreds of evacuation ships, most of which had been nothing more than old, rundown freighters, Obi-Wan had heard laughter. Turning a corner he had come upon Anakin sitting on the floor in one of the larger storage areas with the children of the evacuees. He had been floating a number of brightly colored metallic balls in the air.  
  
Obi-Wan grimaced as he recalled what happened next. He had admonished Anakin in front of the children, lecturing him on what was and was not a proper use of the Force. Obi-Wan's chest tightened. Even now he could still see the hurt look on his Padawan's face.  
  
He glanced over at Onara who, laughing merrily, was now trying to catch the flower petals as they floated around her. He moved his hands slightly to kept them out of her reach. Was she right, he wondered, as he watched her continue to try and catch the petals. Had the Jedi become so isolated, so cocooned within their hundreds of thousands of years of tradition and beliefs that they were out of touch with the common, everyday joys and sorrows of the beings whose lives and happiness they had swore to protect?  
  
His master would not have scolded Anakin, Obi-Wan suddenly realized. Knowing Qui-Gon, he would have sat down, taken one of the children into his lap and floated a few balls of his own. The children had been afraid, Obi- Wan now remembered. Anakin had merely been distracting them from their fears. But Obi-Wan had not sat down.  
  
Instead, he had taken Anakin away from the children and put him to work helping the engineers keep the old freighter going. Yes, Anakin had been needed in engineering, but not so urgently that he couldn't have been spared for a few moments. Would it have hurt, Obi-Wan now wondered, to have let him float the balls for the children just a little longer? And would it have hurt if Obi-Wan had sat down and joined him?  
  
He sighed heavily and slowly lowered the petals until all of them were on the bed. Onara stopped laughing.  
  
"Obi-Wan? What's wrong?" she asked.  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at her. What could he say? That perhaps he had been mistaken all these years regarding his training of Anakin? He yearned to talk to her about it, unburden his fears and doubts regarding his apprentice, just as he had done with what had happened between him and Silia. But Onara had her own worries. He would not burden her with his.  
  
Then he watched, his heart turning over, as Onara lifted her arms and beckoned him to her, her face full of understanding and compassion. Obi-Wan stared at her. This had nothing to do with the blessing ceremony. What was supposed to happen to her had. She was no longer a virgin. To enjoy her now would go beyond the mandate of what had been required of him as a participant in the ceremony. And yet, hadn't he already gone beyond the mandate of the ceremony?  
  
Obi-Wan went over to the bed and, climbing upon the soft, fragrant petals which were now scattered about it, tenderly pulled Onara into his arms and let himself, at least for awhile, deal with his uncertainties about Anakin in this way. By forgetting them.  
  
----------------  
  
Anakin was getting antsy. Not only had Lady Tsara had been gone for nearly an hour, leaving him to wonder where she had got off to and why, but Onara and his master had been at it again. Then he heard the sound of heavy, booted feet pounding towards the anteroom. He sprang out of his chair, his eyes widening.  
  
-----------------  
  
Onara sighed as she snuggled against Obi-Wan's chest. Never had she felt so content, so happy, so loved. If only time would stop so dawn would never come. But, she was painfully aware that dawn was fast approaching. Through the chamber window the dark sky tinted toward a soft dove gray near the horizon. The candles in the room had burned down to stumps, and the fire had gone out long ago. She lifted her head. Obi-Wan's eyes were closed. She reached up and gently stroked his face, not wanting to wake him.  
  
"I'm not asleep," he murmured.  
  
He opened his eyes which, at first, had appeared so strange to her, but now were the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Obi-Wan gazed warmly down at her.  
  
"But you should be," he gently scolded as he stroked her hair.  
  
Onara shook her head. "I don't want to sleep. I want to stay awake so I can be conscious of every minute I'm with you."  
  
Obi-Wan touched her cheek. "Onara---"  
  
"I know what you're going to say. But I don't care. I love you, Obi-Wan. I love you with all my heart."  
  
"Onara---"  
  
"I know it's an impossible love," she said quickly. "You're a Jedi Knight and must return to your life among the stars and I..."  
  
She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. "I am now Edress's wife. But none of that changes how I feel. I love you, and I will always love you."  
  
However, before Obi-Wan could answer, the bridal chamber door slammed open. Onara sat up, gasping. She quickly drew the bed cover over her as her grandmother and Edress marched into the room. Two heavy-set, armed men, whom she recognized as Edress's personal guard, flanked the Dynast and, standing behind them, his mouth open, his eyes wide, was Obi-Wan's apprentice.  
  
"I've come for my wife, Master Jedi," Edress said with a sneer  
  
--------------------------  
  
Anakin quickly rose from his chair as Dynast Edress, along with two armed men and Lady Tsara, came into the anteroom.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked, sensing through the Force a great deal of anger and tension coming from the group. He instinctively moved in front of the door to the bridal chamber.  
  
"Stand aside," Edress snarled. "I've come for my wife."  
  
"You're not going to just march in there without warning, are you?" Anakin cried.  
  
Edress walked over until he was standing right in front of Anakin. The top of his bald, sweating head came only to the young Jedi's chin. He looked up, his dark eyes burning.  
  
"I'm not going to tell you again, boy," he said in a low, dangerous voice. "Stand aside."  
  
Anakin was now picking up very distinct feelings of hostility and anger from Edress and he was confused about it. The Dynast had agreed to the blessing ceremony and, apparently, it was an accepted part of Ahjane culture, but Edress was acting more like a man who suspected his wife was cheating and was desperate to catch her in the act.  
  
"I would advise you to do as he says, young one," Lady Tsara said.  
  
"But...but, Onara and my master are...are," Anakin frowned, his thoughts whirling.  
  
He hadn't really given any thought as to how the blessing ceremony was supposed to end, but it didn't feel right for the husband of the bride to just barge into the bridal chamber with not so much as a by your leave. But, what did he know about Ahjane customs. Just because they didn't make sense to him didn't mean they were wrong. Master Obi-Wan had drilled into him since he was a boy that he must respect other world's cultures and customs. Perhaps this was the way it was done. Yet, it still didn't feel right.  
  
Anakin reluctantly stepped away from the door, but he didn't go far for he was distrustful of the anger he sensed from Edress. And, also, the presence of the armed guards made him equally ill at ease. He relaxed his body in the way Obi-Wan had taught him when preparing for possible battle.  
  
Edress slammed open the door and, with Lady Tsara, his guards and Anakin in tow, stomped into the bridal chamber. At first Anakin could see nothing. All the candles had burned down to stumps, there had been a fire in the fireplace but it had long since died, and the sun was not yet up. Then, he heard a soft gasp.  
  
He saw Onara rise from the bed and, for a moment, which was burned for a long time into Anakin's brain, he saw her bare breasts. Then she quickly pulled a sheet up and covered them. Her thick, dark hair was tousled about her slender shoulders and her eyes were wide as she looked over at them.  
  
Obi-Wan, who had also sat up, was bare-chested. Anakin's face warmed and he felt like someone who had walked into his parent's bedroom and caught them making love. Then he noted the bed was covered in green and gold flower petals.  
  
"I've come for my wife, Master Jedi," Edress sneered.  
  
"Grandmother," Onara cried. "What's going on?"  
  
"The blessing ceremony is over," Lady Tsara snapped. "It is time for you to go with your husband."  
  
"But, but," Onara stammered.  
  
She stopped and looked helplessly over at Obi-Wan. Anakin saw them exchange a look that made his breath catch in his throat.  
  
"Come, Onara," Edress commanded. "You belong to me now."  
  
Onara clutched the sheet, her hands fisting tightly about the material. She shook her head no. Edress muttered a curse. He gestured to his guards. The two men went over to the bed. One of them grabbed Onara by the arm and jerked off the bed.  
  
"Let me go," she cried.  
  
Anakin couldn't believe what was happening. Now he was certain this wasn't the way it was supposed to be. The guard pulled Onara to her feet. The sheet she had wrapped about herself in order to hide her nakedness fell to the floor and, even as Anakin gazed stupefied at her lovely body, he moved towards her, wanting to protect her from these brutes. However, before he could get to her, he saw a blur of movement.  
  
Obi-Wan leapt across the bed. He grabbed the guard who was pulling Onara and forcefully twisted his arm. The guard bellowed, but released Onara, who cried out and fell to the floor. Anakin saw the second guard draw his blaster to take aim at Obi-Wan. Anakin raised his hand and, using the Force, knocked the blaster out of the man's hand.  
  
"My wrist," the guard screamed, as he held his arm to his chest. "You broke my humpin' wrist!"  
  
Anakin hadn't meant to use the Force that powerfully, but he also didn't regret having done so. As far as he was concerned, the goon deserved it. He turned away from the screaming guard and saw Obi-Wan reaching down to help Onara to her feet.  
  
"No, Master. Don't touch her!"  
  
Obi-Wan turned towards Anakin, the shock evident on his face, his hand inches from her shoulder. Anakin went over and stood next to him.  
  
"If you touch her, Master," he said quickly, "Dynast Edress can have her put to death."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. He looked over at Edress. The Dynast nodded, a nasty smile on his face.  
  
"Your apprentice is quite correct, Master Jedi. You may no longer touch Onara without my permission. She belongs to me now."  
  
Obi-Wan slowly moved his hand away, but Anakin saw it took all his willpower to do so. Anakin looked down at Onara who was cowering on the floor, trying to conceal her nakedness. He ached to cover her with something, but he didn't want to risk touching her. He glanced over at Lady Tsara, expecting her to help Onara, but she only stared coldly down at her granddaughter.  
  
"Cover yourself, child," she barked. "Have you no shame!"  
  
Onara slowly stood. Anakin looked away, his cheeks burning. He didn't want to embarrass her further by gawking at her. However, before he turned away he noted she had a bruise on her cheek. He knew there was no way in Sith hell his master would have harmed her, so he wondered what had happened.  
  
Obi-Wan picked the bed sheet off the floor and handed it to Onara, careful not to touch her. She took it from him, thanking him with her eyes as she wrapped it around herself. Obi-Wan smiled warmly at her.  
  
Then Anakin noted his master appeared completely oblivious to the fact he was stark naked. Anakin felt a lump of pride in his throat. Dynast Edress was dressed in layers of luxurious robes but Obi-Wan, without a stitch on, carried himself with far more dignity than Edress would ever possess.  
  
"What in the name of the seven gods is going on here?" a voice cried.  
  
To be continued... 


	12. Part Twelve

First Knight - Part Twelve  
  
Anakin whirled around. Dynast K'lia, along with Onara's twin aunts, was standing in the doorway of the chamber. Both of the aunts had elaborately decorated robes folded over their arms. All three had shocked looks on their faces. Onara quickly ran to her father. He threw his arms around her and held her as she sobbed against his chest.  
  
"Well?" K'lia demanded, as he patted Onara on her back. "Will someone please tell me what is going on?"  
  
"I'll tell you what's going on," Edress barked. He pointed at Obi-Wan "He, along with that apprentice of his, attacked my men. They tried to intervene when I came to claim Onara."  
  
"That's not true," Anakin shouted. "They were hurting her---"  
  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan warned him in a quiet, but firm voice.  
  
Anakin bit his lip. He glared at Edress but remained silent.  
  
"Claim Onara?" K'lia said, his voice betraying his confusion. "But, Dynast Edress, it is I who is supposed to take Onara from the bridal chamber once the ceremony is over. Then I give her to you. That is how it is done. That is how it has always been done. You know that."  
  
Anakin saw Edress and Lady Tsara exchange a guarded look. He again felt that something wasn't quite right with this situation, and especially with those two, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.  
  
"None of that matters now," Edress said brusquely as he looked back at K'lia. "What matters is that Onara is now mine and I've come to claim her."  
  
He turned and pointed angrily at Obi-Wan. "As for this Jedi, I will file a formal complaint against both him and his apprentice with their superiors on Coruscant."  
  
Anakin took a menacing step towards Edress. "What do you mean, you'll file a complaint! You're the one who started---."  
  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "I will not warn you again. Be silent."  
  
Anakin struggled to swallow both his anger and frustration. Why was Obi-Wan acting so calmly? Didn't he feel anything? Didn't he care about Onara? Anakin looked over at her. Her father was still holding her. She was no longer sobbing, but her face was pressed against his chest.  
  
One of the aunts moved over to them. She unfolded the robe she was holding and, stepping in front of Onara so she was hidden from the others, helped her take off the bed sheet and slip into the robe. The other aunt walked over to Obi-Wan and gave him the robe she was carrying. He thanked her and put it on.  
  
"Dynast Edress," K'lia said calmly, "apparently there's been some misunderstanding, but it need not be taken beyond this room. I'm sure whatever insult---" and he paused as Anakin scoffed "---whatever insult you have suffered was not intentional. I suggest we forget it."  
  
Edress lifted his head haughtily. "It may be easy for you to forget insults, K'lia, but I don't find it as effortless as you apparently do. One's dignity must be preserved, especially in the presence of underlings."  
  
He then reached into the lining of his robes, removed a small silver box and quickly snorted some of its contents into his nose. He slipped the box back between his robes. Anakin noted a flicker of disgust move across K'lia's face.  
  
"However," Edress went on smoothly, "in the interest of fostering friendship between our provinces, I will not pursue my complaint against the Jedi."  
  
He turned to where his guards were standing near the door. The one with the broken wrist was still groaning.  
  
"You two!" he snapped. "Report back to my chamber. And give that one something to stop his caterwauling."  
  
The two guards left the room. Once they had gone, Edress reached towards Onara who was still being held by her father.  
  
"Come, Onara."  
  
Onara held her father tighter and shook her head. "No, I won't go with you!"  
  
"Onara!" K'lia cried. He gently pushed her away from his chest and looked into her face. "My child, what is the meaning of this?"  
  
"I won't go with him," she said. "I won't!"  
  
"Disobedient wretch!" Lady Tsara spat out. "You _will_ go with him! He is your husband now and you must obey him."  
  
"No!" Onara shouted.  
  
She grabbed her father's arms and squeezed them. "Father, please, don't make me go with him. I beg you."  
  
K'lia gently cupped his daughter's face. Anakin could see the sorrow and pity in his eyes.  
  
"Onara, you know this must be done. I thought you understood that. What has happened to change that?"  
  
Then K'lia eyes widened as he looked over at Obi-Wan, then back at Onara. He stroked her face.  
  
"Oh, my poor, sweet child. I'm sorry this had to happen. I'm sorry you had to find love under circumstances such as this."  
  
"Father, please," Onara whispered as she hugged him, her face pressed against his chest, "don't make me go with him."  
  
"What treachery is this, K'lia?" Edress cried angrily. "We had an agreement. Are you backing out now? Do you also wish to back out of the peace accord? Are you prepared for war then? Because if you are, let's be at it."  
  
"That is not what Dynast K'lia wants," Obi-Wan said calmly as he stepped next to Edress. "And I don't think that's what you want either."  
  
"You have no idea what I want, Jedi," Edress snarled. He turned back to K'lia. "However, if Onara does not wish to come with me, so be it. We were close to winning the war anyway. What's another few years of death and destruction? My people can stand it. I hope yours can."  
  
Anakin saw Onara shudder in her father's arm. She lifted her head from his chest and looked up at him, the two exchanging a long, silent look. K'lia suddenly looked years older, his eyes glazing over with pain and grief. Onara reached up and gently stroked his face. She straightened her shoulders and turned towards Edress. Anakin was amazed at her transformation. She looked noble and strong, like a young queen.  
  
"I will go with you, Edress," she said in a firm voice. "There is no need for you to go to war. We will spare both your people and mine anymore suffering and death. I will honor the accord that was negotiated with you by Master Kenobi."  
  
As Onara said his name, she looked over at Obi-Wan. Anakin was taken aback at the overwhelming yearning he saw in her beautiful, dark eyes. Force, he thought, she really does love him. He looked over at Obi-Wan and saw the same longing in his master's eyes, along with pride as he gazed silently back at Onara. Edress cleared his throat as he glanced between Obi-Wan and Onara. Anakin could see he did not like the look the two had exchanged.  
  
"That's better then." He looked over at Lady Tsara. "Prepare her and have her brought to my chamber."  
  
Lady Tsara inclined her head in acknowledgement of Edress's command. The Dynast then gave Obi-Wan a sideways glance and licked his lips.  
  
"I want to get Onara back to Kindah Province as soon as possible," he went on slyly. "I much desire to take my new, young wife to bed. Though I see you did not break her spirit as I had requested, Master Jedi."  
  
Onara's eyes widened at his words. She glanced over at Obi-Wan who glared at Edress.  
  
The Dynast shrugged. "No matter. I will see to it myself."  
  
He reached over and grabbed Onara's chin. She tried to twist her face away, but he held her firmly.  
  
"Don't you want to give your new husband a kiss?" he leered at her.  
  
He pulled Onara towards him as she continued to struggle. Anakin clenched his fists, the blood pounding in his head. Enough was enough. He didn't care if Master Obi-Wan scolded, rebuked or knocked him silly with the hilt of his lightsaber, he wasn't going to stand by and watch Edress manhandle Onara. Even if she was now his wife, he had no right to treat her like that. Just as Anakin was about to move, however, he saw a muscle in Obi- Wan's jaw clench as he also took a step towards Edress but, before either of them could intervene, K'lia spoke.  
  
"Dynast Edress," he said in a calm, level voice, as if he was not witnessing his daughter being humiliated by the man. "I believe Simtro has finished his accounting regarding the barrels of silver oil you are to receive as part of Onara's dowry. Would you like to inspect the figures?"  
  
Edress's eyes flared with unconcealed greed. He quickly let go of Onara.  
  
"Yes, I would most definitely like to inspect them."  
  
"You will find Simtro in my study. He will show them to you."  
  
Edress nodded. He scowled at Obi-Wan and Anakin, gave Tsara a brief bow and, moving past the aunts, hurriedly left the room.  
  
"Thank you, Father," Onara whispered, her dark eyes now brimming with unshed tears.  
  
K'lia reached over and gently stroked her cheek. Then he took her by the shoulders and kissed her forehead.  
  
"I'm so sorry, my darling child," Anakin heard him whisper to her. "I'm so sorry it had to come to this. That you must have as your husband such a man. Forgive me."  
  
"Stop coddling her, K'lia," Lady Tsara snapped. "Onara knows it's her duty to be Edress's wife. And if she doesn't, she'd better learn it fast."  
  
Onara looked sharply over at Tsara.  
  
"I don't need to be reminded of my duty, Grandmother," she said in a soft, but firm voice. "I know what it is."  
  
Anakin saw Lady Tsara's eyes widen at Onara's words, for she too had noted, as Anakin had, the strength and power in that quietly worded statement. The old hag's wrinkled mouth worked for a moment as Onara stared coolly back at her.  
  
"Humph! Well, I'm just glad you've finally come to your senses," Lady Tsara spat as she struggled to regain control over the situation. "I don't know how much more of your impudence I could have stood. Now, come, we must prepare for your departure."  
  
She reached over and grabbed Onara's arm. Anakin saw the young woman resist, but she remembered herself and let her grandmother lead her out of the chamber, the aunts following behind. Onara turned before going through the door. She gave Obi-Wan one last, yearning glance. Then she was gone.  
  
K'lia watched his daughter leave. He turned to Obi-Wan, his rounded shoulders slumped.  
  
"Master Kenobi, please, accept my most sincere apology," he said in a weary voice. "I don't know how this could have happened. Edress should not have been here. When dawn comes it is tradition that the father of the bride come and take her from the bridal chamber."  
  
He pointed to the robe Obi-Wan was wearing. "That is the ceremonial robe you were supposed to wear." He shook his white-haired head. "I can't explain what happened."  
  
Anakin snorted. "I can tell you what happened. Lady Tsara brought Edress here."  
  
K'lia frowned at him. "My mother? But, she knows that's not how it's done. You must be mistaken."  
  
"She left me alone for about an hour. When she came back, she was with Edress and those armed goons, and the Dynast was steaming mad even before he entered the chamber. If you ask me, I think the two of them are up to something."  
  
"Anakin, it is not wise to utter such inflammatory statements without the evidence to support them. You must think, my young padawan-learner, before you speak. How many times must I remind you of that?"  
  
Anakin slowly turned and looked at his master, his mouth falling open. He couldn't believe it. The woman Obi-Wan apparently now had deep feelings for had just been taken from him and given over to a man whom Anakin would love spending a few hours alone with in order to instruct him, in ways definitely not sanctioned by the Jedi Council, on how one should properly treat a woman. And how was his master reacting to all of this? By giving him a lesson.  
  
Anakin jerked his face away from Obi-Wan, his cheeks burning, as he struggled to control his anger. Then he looked over at the bed. Those unexplained flower petals were scattered all about it. Anakin could still sense through the Force the powerful emotions that had been unleashed in this room. Emotions not only of desire, but of happiness, joy and, dare he think it, love.  
  
He looked back over at Obi-Wan and his heart jumped. His master was also looking over at the petal-strewn bridal bed and his expression was of such deep and abiding sadness it sent a chill down Anakin's spine. Then he watched as Obi-Wan quickly smoothed his face over and the stoic, self- possessed man he had known returned.  
  
"Please forgive, my apprentice, Dynast K'lia," Obi-Wan said. "He meant no disrespect towards Lady Tsara."  
  
K'lia, who had been gazing broodingly off into space, jumped at Obi-Wan's words.  
  
"What? Oh, yes, of course. I know he didn't, Master Kenobi. Now, why don't I summon Simtro. He can help you with your morning toiletry."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "That won't be necessary. But thank you. I'll just need to get my clothes. Then Anakin and I will return to our quarters and prepare for our departure."  
  
"As you wish, Master Kenobi." K'lia sighed. "I must go and prepare for Onara's..." he stopped and Anakin clearly heard the tears in his quavering voice, "...for my daughter's departure. I will, of course, see you both before you leave. I'll have Simtro bring your morning meal to your rooms."  
  
Obi-Wan bowed to the Dynast. K'lia turned and left the chamber. Anakin glanced over at Obi-Wan. His blue-gray eyes revealed nothing as he watched K'lia leave. Then he looked over at Anakin.  
  
"Is something wrong, Padawan?" he asked.  
  
Anakin hesitated. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say. He was well aware romantic love was actively discouraged among the Jedi and forbidden to Padawans like him. That edict, along with all the other sundry commandments regarding the Order, had been drilled into him since he was a boy. The majority of Jedi seemed to accept that particular edict without question.  
  
But, most of those Jedi had been taken from their families as babies and raised within the Order. None of them had known, as Anakin had, the softness of a cool cheek on a feverish brow, the gentle touch of calloused, but tender, hands on a tear-stained face, or the soothing melody of a lullaby being sung by a weary, but loving voice, as night fell in the slave quarters in Mos Espa.  
  
But Anakin had known all that growing up on Tatooine with his mother. The Jedi wanted to avoid attachment and possession, fearing they would lead to the dark side of the Force, so they made love a forbidden thing. But, in doing so, they also forbade the strength and the power love gave one.  
  
"Master, how can you...?" Anakin stopped and swallowed. Then he steeled himself and went on. He didn't care if Obi-Wan yelled at him. He needed to know this.  
  
"How can you let her go?"  
  
Obi-Wan's expression did not change, but Anakin saw a subtle shifting of emotions behind those sky-colored eyes.  
  
"And what would you have me do, Anakin?" he asked in a quiet, even voice.  
  
Anakin shook his head and looked down at his boots. He scuffed the toe of one across the carpet. Then he looked back at Obi-Wan.  
  
"I don't know, Master. She loves you. I saw it in her eyes."  
  
"I know she does," Obi-Wan said softly.  
  
"And Edress..." Anakin fisted his hands. "The way he treats her! He's a villain!"  
  
"I know that too."  
  
"Then how can you---?"  
  
Obi-Wan suddenly grabbed Anakin's arm, his stoic expression falling away to reveal the pain he had been hiding.  
  
"Do you think I liked having to stand here and watch him treat her that way? That I want to leave her in the possession of that...that bastard? That I don't want to take her away from him!"  
  
Anakin's heart thudded in his chest as he saw the anger and anguish burning in his master's eyes.  
  
"And make no mistake, my young apprentice," Obi-Wan said, his voice dropping to a soft, deadly pitch, his hand squeezing Anakin's arm, "not Edress, or his guards, no, not even his entire army could stop me if I chose to take Onara from him."  
  
Anakin swallowed hard at the implications of his master's words. He sensed through the Force the barely restrained energy the Jedi Knight was struggling to control. Then Obi-Wan released a deep, shuddering breath. He let go of Anakin's arm.  
  
"But I will not do that, Padawan," he said, his voice breaking for a moment, then returning to its customary level and resonance. "I can't."  
  
"But, Master, you can't just leave here without...without doing something to help her," Anakin finished softly, aware even as he said the words his master was right.  
  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan began. He stopped and shook his head, then reached over and took Anakin's arm again, but gently this time.  
  
"I can not interfere. I must not. Our mission to Ahjane was to bring peace to this world, not plunge it back into war. Both Dynast Edress and K'lia agreed to the peace accord you and I helped negotiate. Onara's marrying Edress was part of that agreement."  
  
"But she didn't agree to it," Anakin protested.  
  
"No, she didn't," Obi-Wan said softly. "But it is her duty as a Dynast's daughter to do what is best for her people."  
  
"I can't believe K'lia is going to let Onara go away with... with that walking pile of bantha dung," Anakin finished angrily, waving his arm wildly in the direction Edress had gone.  
  
"K'lia is not just a father, Anakin. He is a leader of his people and is responsible for their welfare and happiness. He can't let his personal feelings get in the way of that responsibility."  
  
Anakin grasped the truth of Obi-Wan's words, but his heart rebelled against it.  
  
"Just as we're not supposed to let our personal feelings get in the way of our duty, right, Master?" Anakin asked, but his voice was laced with bitterness and just a hint of scorn.  
  
"Yes, that is correct," Obi-Wan said, ignoring Anakin's tone. "You and I are Jedi. We have been given a gift. A powerful, but terrible gift. With it we can accomplish great good. But, if we use our powers to fulfill our own selfish desires, we can also do great harm."  
  
"I know that, Master," Anakin said contritely. "But I don't think loving or wanting to be loved is a selfish desire."  
  
Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment, then gently squeezed his arm.  
  
"You're right, Anakin. It is not."  
  
Obi-Wan released his arm and looked over at the bridal bed. A wistful look crossed his face, then Anakin saw his master do as Onara had done. He lifted his head and straightened his back.  
  
"We must prepare for our departure, Padawan. We're expected back on Coruscant."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and, picking up his pants where they were lying on the floor next to the bed, went into the 'fresher. He soon came back, dressed once again in his Jedi clothes. Anakin noted they were somewhat damp and there were grass, mud and, his eyes widened, blood stains on the tunic. Then he saw Obi-Wan had the robe one of the aunts had given him and Onara's clothes draped over his arm. The gown she had been wearing was torn and, like Obi- Wan's clothes, was damp and stained with mud and grass. Obi-Wan followed his gaze, then looked up at Anakin.  
  
"I'll explain later," he said.  
  
He turned and, neatly folding the robe, put it on the bed. He also folded Onara's dress and placed it next to the robe. Anakin watched as Obi-Wan's hands lingered for a moment on the dress. Then he turned, and with Anakin in his wake, left the bridal chamber.  
  
----------  
  
As Anakin finished packing his travel case, Lady Tsara swept into his and Obi-Wan's quarters, her twin daughters in tow. Obi-Wan, who had been gazing out a window, turned to greet her.  
  
"Master Jedi," she said as Obi-Wan bowed to her.  
  
She then looked sharply over at Anakin. He lifted his chin and boldly met her eyes. He had no intention of bowing to her or showing her any kind of respect. Not after the way she had treated Onara in the bridal chamber.  
  
"Humph," was all she said as she turned back to Obi-Wan. "I've come to say good-bye and to thank you for participating in the blessing ceremony. You have done my family a great honor. I can't say I was pleased to find out about your little excursion with Onara into the forest. However, K'lia is grateful you were able to kill the valkon. It had been ravaging the surrounding villages. Would you like to take its head and pelt back with you? It is your right as its slayer."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head no. Lady Tsara's beady black eyes narrowed at Obi- Wan's lack of a verbal response.  
  
"Your transport to Coruscant awaits you," she went on crisply. "I'm sure you must be eager to return home."  
  
"Thank you." Obi-Wan said. Then he cleared his throat. "Lady Tsara?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I would like to say goodbye to Onara. Would that be possible?"  
  
"No, it will not be possible."  
  
Confusion swept across Obi-Wan's face. "I don't understand? Is it forbidden I see her again?"  
  
"No, it is not forbidden. The reason you can not see her is she's gone."  
  
"Gone?" Obi-Wan's voice betrayed his shock. Anakin moved closer to him.  
  
"Yes, to Kindah Province. With her husband," Lady Tsara added brusquely, either oblivious to or unsympathetic of Obi-Wan's distress.  
  
"But...I had hoped to..."  
  
Obi-Wan swallowed, his face creasing as he struggled to hide his distress. Anakin reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Master?"  
  
Anakin watched as Obi-Wan's face quickly smoothed over. He looked at him and nodded, letting his padawan know he was all right. Anakin squeezed his shoulder, then removed his hand. Obi-Wan turned back to Lady Tsara, his arms folded within his robe.  
  
"I wish you and your people well, Lady Tsara," he said in a firm, impassive voice as he bowed deeply to her.  
  
Tsara inclined her head, even as she gave Obi-Wan a piercing look. She turned to leave the room, but Anakin noted one of the aunts was lingering behind. Once the others were gone, she hurried over to Obi-Wan. She placed a wrinkled hand on his arm, her red-rimmed eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"She weeps and whispers your name, Master Jedi, when she thinks no one is listening," the aunt said softly. "When Edress caught her doing so, he shouted at her to stop her foolishness, but she does not heed him. That is why they left so quickly. He wanted to get her as far away from you as possible."  
  
The aunt gazed sadly up at Obi-Wan. Then, when she heard Lady Tsara's voice in the hallway shouting for her to stop her dawdling and come along, she squeezed his arm, turned and quickly left the room.  
  
Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan. If the aunt's words were having any effect on his master, he could not see it. Obi-Wan had, as Anakin had seen him do countless times before, quickly buried his feelings, deep in that secret place where he kept so much hidden. His expression was calm and composed.  
  
"Come, Padawan. Our transport awaits us."  
  
"Yes, Master," Anakin said as he picked up his travel gear. Obi-Wan did the same and Anakin followed him out of the room.  
  
To be continued... 


	13. Part Thirteen

First Knight - Part Thirteen  
  
---------------  
  
Obi-Wan sat on the meditation cushion, his legs crossed in front of him. It had been a week since his and Anakin's return from Ahjane. The Jedi Knight had been so busy catching up on back-logged mission reports, continuing with his training of Anakin, and meeting with Masters Windu and Yoda regarding said training, he had only been able to meditate for brief periods of time and then only right before bed.  
  
However, last night he had received an invitation from Master Yoda to join him in his quarters for a dawn meditation. As Obi-Wan was free that morning, he had accepted. Now, as he let himself ascend from the deep layers of his communion with the Force, he slowly opened his eyes and looked over at Yoda, who was seated, as he was, on a circular cushion. Yoda was gazing solemnly over at him.  
  
"How feel you?" he asked.  
  
"Fine, Master."  
  
"Believe you I do not."  
  
Obi-Wan started. He looked at Yoda for a long moment, then lowered his eyes.  
  
"What do you want me to say?" he asked quietly.  
  
"The truth. As always."  
  
Obi-Wan slowly shook his head as he gazed down at the meditation cushion. He released a deep, heavy breath.  
  
"I can't stop thinking about her, Master."  
  
He then glanced up at Yoda to gauge the Jedi Master's reaction. Other than Qui-Gon, there was no one else he would have admitted such a thing to.  
  
"Hmmm. Wish that do you? To stop thinking of her?"  
  
Obi-Wan sighed, both relieved and surprised that Yoda had not chastised him for his confession regarding his feelings for Onara.  
  
"I don't know, Master. It...it hurts when I think of her."  
  
"Warned you I did not to lose yourself."  
  
Obi-Wan felt a brief surge of anger.  
  
"Do you think this is what I wanted? To feel this way? I didn't even want to go through with the blasted ceremony! I tried to avoid it. I didn't want her to be hurt."  
  
Or me, Obi-Wan added silently.  
  
"No, of course you did not."  
  
Yoda then let out a long, slow breath. He tilted his head and looked over at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Wanted her for yourself, you did, hmmm?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, but remained silent.  
  
"Take her you could have."  
  
Obi-Wan did not respond right away.  
  
"Yes, Master," he finally agreed, his voice soft and reflective. "I could have."  
  
"But you did not."  
  
Obi-Wan felt his heart constrict. "No, I did not."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked sharply at Yoda. "What?"  
  
"Why did you not take her when wanted her you did?"  
  
"And give up my life in the Order? Break my vow to Qui-Gon and my promise to Anakin to train him to become a Jedi? Plunge her planet back into years of war?"  
  
Obi-Wan lowered his head. "Is any woman worth so much?" he added softly.  
  
"Know that I do not, Obi-Wan. Only you that can answer."  
  
Obi-Wan jerked his head up at Yoda's answer. The little Jedi slowly levered himself off his mediation cushion. Obi-Wan did likewise. He adjusted his tunic as he looked down at his former clan master.  
  
"Think upon this, young Obi-Wan," Yoda said as he limped past him towards the door, his cane tapping on the floor. "Often the heart its reasons has that the mind knows not of."  
  
Obi-Wan was both surprised and baffled by Yoda's words, but he did not move or speak, not even when the Jedi Master had passed through the door and out into the main rooms of his quarters. Obi-Wan continued to stand, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as if he were terribly cold or trying to hold something in that, if allowed to escape, would consume him.  
  
--------------  
  
As Obi-Wan made his way down the Main Hall of the Jedi Archives, his boots echoing softly in the cavernous room, the bluish glow from the computer panels highlighting his face, he was again struck by the vast accumulation of knowledge that was stored here. The Archives was one of the greatest libraries in the Republic, a repository of seemingly infinite information on every part of the known galaxy and its billions upon billions of inhabitants.  
  
But no wonder. Knowledge was one of the three pillars of Jedi strength, along with the Force and self-discipline. However, despite all the information that was stored here, Obi-Wan doubted he would find what he was looking for.  
  
The Main Hall contained the busts of a number of well known and revered Jedi, both past and present. It also contained the busts of the "Lost 20" the only Jedi to have left the Order voluntarily. Among those was Count Dooku, Qui-Gon's former master.  
  
However, on this particular day, Obi-Wan walked past the bust which, over the years, especially since Qui-Gon's death, he had often stopped and studied as he had tried to fathom this man who had trained his master and yet, had turned his back on the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan had something else on his mind.  
  
He walked further down the hall, then saw the person he was looking for. Jocasta Nu, the Archives Director, was a former active Jedi Knight. She still wore her lightsaber as a symbol of her years of field service. She had been the Archivist for as long as Obi-Wan could remember and, he knew, had been its Director far beyond that.  
  
She appeared frail, but possessed a formidable spirit and did not suffer fools or unprepared Jedi gladly. As an initiate, and then as a Padawan, Obi- Wan had painfully learned over the years to always approach her with a definite idea of what he was looking for. Nonetheless, as he now approached her, he felt like a tongue-tied initiate again, for he had no idea how she was going to respond to what he was seeking today.  
  
"Master Kenobi," she said as she turned away from one of the glowing data shelves. "How did your mission to Ahjane go?"  
  
"It went well, Madame Nu."  
  
"Was the information we found regarding their culture of help?"  
  
Obi-Wan suppressed a smile. He was tempted to tell her a vital piece of information on Ahjane culture had been left out of the research.  
  
"Yes, it was. My Padawan and I were able to successfully negotiate a peace accord between the two warring provinces."  
  
Madame Nu fixed him with a sharp look. "I haven't received your report regarding that mission. It's been over three months since you returned from Ahjane."  
  
"I know, Madame Nu. Forgive me. I've been quite busy. I'm still working on it."  
  
The truth was Obi-Wan had finished the report some time ago. But, because he had decided to leave out what had happened regarding the blessing ceremony, he had been hesitant to turn it in. Having never left out anything in any of the other mission reports he had filed, he felt guilty for having done so this time.  
  
"You know that the turnaround time for reports is one month, Master Kenobi."  
  
"Yes, Madame Nu."  
  
"Get it to me as soon as possible."  
  
"I will."  
  
Obi-Wan hesitated. He cleared his throat and glanced nervously over at the data panel Madame Nu had been examining.  
  
"Is there something I can help you with, Master Kenobi?" she asked, her voice elevated a bit to let him know she was, as always, quite busy and if he needed her help, he'd better be quick about it.  
  
"Yes, yes, there is. I was wondering...if there is somewhere in the Archives...any...um...Jedi poetry?"  
  
One of Madame Nu's brows rose sharply.  
  
"Jedi poetry? Hmmm, well there are the Odes of Master Jahari. And the Litanies of Masters Lua and Musbau. And we do have a substantial collection of Meditations on the Force by Knight Analy."  
  
Obi-Wan's heart sank. He recognized all those names and not one of those Jedi was known for his or her romantic inclinations. They were all well- known Jedi prophets and mystics who had been heralded for their deep connection to the Force.  
  
"I see by your expression, Master Kenobi, that none of what I've mentioned are what you seek."  
  
"No, I'm afraid they're not."  
  
"Well, what kind of poetry are you looking for?"  
  
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. He folded his arms within the sleeves of his robe. Blast it, he wasn't a wet-behind-the-ears initiate! He was a grown man, a Jedi Knight, and master to an apprentice.  
  
"I'm looking for love poetry, Madame Nu," he said firmly, looking her straight in the eye. "Romantic love poetry. Written by Jedi."  
  
"Ah, I see," she said.  
  
Her wrinkled face took on a knowing look. She stared at him for a moment, her dark eyes boring into his. Then she turned and headed across the wide corridor to the other side of the Hall. Obi-Wan followed her.  
  
They walked down a row of shelved holobooks until they came just to the end of the row. Madame Nu stopped and looked up. She closed her eyes and lifted her hand. Obi-Wan watched as one of the rectangular, glowing holobooks slid from the shelf and floated down to her. She examined it, then handed it to Obi-Wan.  
  
"What's this?" he asked.  
  
"Your Jedi love poetry, Master Kenobi. That, I'm afraid, is the only example we have of such a thing in the Archives."  
  
Obi-Wan stared at the holobook. He once again thought of the nearly infinite sea of knowledge that was stored in the Archives. And, yet out of all that, he thought, just this little drop of poetry that celebrated romantic love. He frowned. Had more been written perhaps, but never archived? And what did that say about the Jedi that there was so little of it?  
  
"Who is it by?" he asked as he examined the holobook  
  
"The poetry in that particular volume was written 4,000 years ago by the Jedi Knight Nomi Sunrider."  
  
Obi-Wan had heard of her. She had been married to Andur Sunrider, but her husband was killed by the henchmen of a Hutt. Taking up her husband's lightsaber, she had killed his murderers. Later, she apprenticed under Master Vodo-Siosk Baas and became one of the greatest Jedi Knights of her time.  
  
"There is poetry in there written in memory of her husband, Andur," Madame Nu went on, "and there's also poetry she wrote regarding her feelings for Ulic Qel-Droma."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. Ulic was another Jedi who had lived during that time. He had thought he could learn the ways of the dark side of the Force and use that knowledge for good. But he succumbed to the power of the dark side. Nomi had fallen in love with him after the death of her husband, but it was Nomi herself who was forced to blind Ulic to the Force after he killed his own brother. He was later redeemed by Nomi's daughter, Vima.  
  
"Is that what you're looking for, Master Kenobi?"  
  
Obi-Wan blinked his eyes. For a moment he had been lost in the far distant past of Jedi history. A past where love had not been forbidden to the Jedi.  
  
"Yes, thank you, Madame Nu. This will do just fine."  
  
Madame Nu reached into the brown cloth bag that was attached to her waist. She pulled out a tiny scanner, ran it over the book, then held it up to Obi- Wan's left eye in order to retrieve his retinal pattern and use it to record his identity.  
  
"You may keep the book for three weeks, Master Kenobi."  
  
"Thank you, Madame Nu."  
  
"If you're sent on a mission and forget to return it, any overdue penalties will be assessed against your credit account."  
  
"Of course, Madame Nu."  
  
"Now, if you'll excuse me."  
  
She moved briskly past Obi-Wan and walked back towards the Main Hall, her long dark dress swishing over the floor. Obi-Wan watched her leave, then looked down at the holobook he was holding. What had possessed him to come looking for such a book and on such a subject? He had never done anything like this before. Then he knew, and he felt, and he remembered. _Onara_. Obi-wan slipped the book into a pocket within his robe and left the Archives.  
  
--------------  
  
Obi-Wan hunkered down as another explosion roared through the air. Tiny pieces of duracrete rained down on his head and the dust from previous explosions filled his lungs, coated his hair and prickled his eyelids. He coughed and wiped at his tearing eyes. Then he glanced over at Anakin, shaking his head in amazement.  
  
His padawan was sleeping and had remained asleep, even during this latest barrage. Yet, Obi-Wan knew if needed, he would be on his feet in an instant. However, he was glad Anakin was able to get some rest. They had been on Sarius IV for a week now, aiding the populace of its capital against incursions from a gang of bio-droids that had decided to make the city their new home.  
  
The bio-droids weren't really droids. They were humanoids who had replaced parts of their bodies with pieces from droids they had either scavenged or stolen. The droid parts came primarily from third-degree droids like the humanoid appearing 3PO-series. Since what they were doing was forbidden by the Republic, the bio-droids lived as outlaws, usually wandering from system to system, preying on the general population and stealing droids for new parts for their bodies. However, they were also prone to other criminal activities such as robbery, extortion and murder. The Jedi Council had sent Obi-Wan and Anakin to work with the planetary police force in flushing out this particular gang and taking them into custody.  
  
Obi-Wan winced as a seismic grenade exploded nearby. Well, he and Anakin had certainly flushed the gang out. The two were holed up in an abandoned factory just a few blocks away from the gang's base of operation. Although the bio-droids had been blasting away at the factory for hours, trying to smoke him and Anakin out, the weapons they were using were not powerful enough to bring the building down. In addition, their attacks were coming at increasingly longer intervals, which led Obi-Wan to suspect they were running out of weapons.  
  
Anakin had wanted to stage a two-man frontal assault on the hideout, but Obi-Wan had informed him that, even for Jedi, it would have been suicidal. Although the bio-droid's weapons were not doing a lot of damage to the building, they were still capable of tearing flesh and bone. Anakin had been disappointed, but had agreed with his master's assessment of the situation. They would wait for the planetary police force to arrive.  
  
Obi-Wan grunted softly as he stretched out his legs. Their back-up would be arriving in less than an hour. Reaching out with the Force he detected that the bio-droids were still holed up in their hideout. He had a few moments to spare.  
  
Checking to make sure Anakin was still asleep, Obi-Wan pulled a ultra-thin compact datapad from out of the inner lining of his robe. He pressed it on. The tiny, green square screen lit up. Obi-Wan scrolled through the files until he found the one he wanted. He glanced over at Anakin who sniffed and rubbed at some dust on his nose, but remained asleep.  
  
Obi-Wan didn't know why he was acting so surreptitious. Four months had passed since he had checked out that holobook of Nomi Sunrider's love poetry from the Archives. Before returning it, however, Obi-Wan had downloaded a flat version of the holobook into his personal datapad. He had told Madame Nu he had done so. She had only gave him another one of her shrewd looks, but said nothing.  
  
Now, as he had done nearly every day for the last four months, Obi-Wan read Nomi's love poems. He had memorized all of them by heart, but he still liked to see the words on the screen. The one he was reading now was called "Moonlit Memories". It was his favorite by far of the Jedi woman's poems for it never failed to remind him of the night he and Onara had watched the Katarra dancing in that moon-washed glade.  
  
He had long since stopped feeling guilty for not only reading the poems, but taking them to heart. The poems had become not only his solace, but his inspiration, revealing to him the depths and the heights to which the Jedi heart could descend and soar when allowed to truly and deeply love.  
  
Another explosion rocked the factory and, half an hour later, still another, but Obi-Wan no longer heeded them. He was swept away on the waves of Nomi's lyrical verses and in his memories of a beautiful young woman with dark eyes who smiled at him through a swirl of green and gold flower petals.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Obi-Wan quickly parried another attack from Anakin. Nearly two months had passed since their mission to Sarius IV, and Anakin saw Obi-Wan still favored his left arm. When the police force finally arrived and he and his master joined them in the assault on the bio-droids' hideout, Anakin had, while deflecting blaster fire, accidentally sent one of the bolts of energy toward Obi-Wan. Extensive therapy sessions with a Jedi Healer had taken care of the worst of the injury to his master's left arm, but Anakin could sense Obi-Wan still felt some discomfort from it.  
  
He and his master were in the temple gymnasium. They, and a number of other Jedi were working out, some exercising, while others, like Anakin and Obi- Wan, were practice dueling. The two were reenacting the Rashta kai-kan, a particularly difficult lightsaber duel that had been fought between Jedi Master Rashta and a Sith by the name of Darth Yesero thousands of years ago. The duel had been recorded in a Jedi holocron.  
  
Anakin and Obi-Wan had studied the duel and, over their years together as master and padawan, had often reenacted it. Anakin this time was playing the part of Yesero, the Sith Lord. Yesero, like Anakin, had favored Form IV of the seven forms of lightsaber combat. Form IV was known for its speed and power.  
  
Obi-Wan, however, since the death of Qui-Gon, had focused on Form III which maximized defensive protection. Developed initially as high-speed laserblast deflection training, over the centuries it had been refined into an expression of nonaggressive Jedi philosophy.  
  
Lightsabers clashing and crackling in the cavernous room the two fought their way across the floor. Soon, most of the Jedi in the gym had stopped what they were doing to watch. Anakin was taller than his master and also quicker and more powerful. Obi-Wan, however, wisely conserved his strength, his concentration always directed on the Force. Anakin had tried to be as inner directed as his Master, but found it difficult. He was too often aware of things around him, too mindful of his own sometimes conflicted thoughts.  
  
Obi-Wan executed a nimble drop stance as he parried another one of Anakin's attack. Anakin swung around and tried to come at Obi-Wan from behind, but the Jedi Knight swept his blade behind his back and effectively parried him. Anakin heard Obi-Wan grunt softly as he did so. A part of Anakin longed to take advantage of his master's injury. But he didn't want to win that way. He wanted to beat Obi-Wan fair and square.  
  
"Not, bad, Master," Anakin gasped as he stepped back, his blade high above his head.  
  
Obi-Wan gave him a wry smile. "Don't forget, my young padawan-learner, you still have much to learn.  
  
"That may be," Anakin said as he rushed towards Obi-Wan, "but one day I'll beat you.  
  
Again, Obi-Wan deftly parried Anakin's attack. Their lightsabers crashed against each other. Anakin gritted his teeth, focusing all his power on pushing Obi-Wan's blade away, but his master, despite his injury, was too strong. The next thing Anakin knew he was wheeling back and, unceremoniously, landed on his rear. His lightsaber clicked off as it clattered to the floor.  
  
Anakin's face burned, his gaze on the floor, as he felt a sudden surge of anger. He cursed himself for not having taken advantage of his master's weakness. Then he looked up as Obi-Wan walked over and held out his hand. Anakin hesitated for a moment, then took it. Obi-Wan squeezed his hand and Anakin's anger just as quickly disappeared.  
  
"Well done, Padawan," Obi-Wan said smiling as he helped Anakin to his feet. "You're improving. I believe you're right. One day you will defeat me."  
  
Once Anakin was standing the two were greeted by applause from the watching Jedi. Obi-Wan inclined his head in acknowledgment while Anakin executed a short, formal bow. Then, just as they were heading for the showers, a young female initiate ran into the gym.  
  
"Master Obi-Wan, Master Obi-Wan," she cried in a high, breathless voice.  
  
Anakin turned, as did Obi-Wan. His master smiled warmly as the little Togruta girl skidded to a stop in front of them, her tiny, patterned lekkus quivering on her shoulders, the eyes in her orange-white face wide with excitement.  
  
"Hello, Esha," Obi-Wan greeted her.  
  
"I...I have a message for you, Master Obi-Wan," she gasped, the words tumbling out of her mouth. "I was told to give it to you right away. It's marked urgent. It's from Ahjane."  
  
Anakin jumped and saw a muscle in Obi-Wan's jaw clench at the mention of Onara's homeworld. If Obi-Wan ever thought about what had happened there he gave no sign. Of course, Anakin knew that meant nothing. His master kept a lot to himself. Neither he nor Obi-Wan had heard any news from Ahjane which, in light of their assignment there, was a good thing because it meant the peace accord was still intact. However, as to what else had occurred during their mission there, nothing was heard nor spoken regarding it, either from Ahjane or between Obi-Wan and Anakin.  
  
Obi-Wan thanked Esha and took the silver message canister from her. She bowed, turned and ran from the gym. Anakin saw Obi-Wan's hands shake somewhat as he quickly opened the canister. He pulled the flexisheet out and read it. His face blanched.  
  
"Anakin."  
  
"Yes, Master?"  
  
"Arrange transport for us to Ahjane. Immediately."  
  
"Ahjane? But, Master, we're supposed to appear before the Council---"  
  
"Do it, Anakin! Now! Find the fastest ship available. Hurry!"  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
Anakin turned and ran. He couldn't imagine what news could have come from Ahjane to make his master deliberately ignore a summons from the Jedi Council. But, as he raced out of the gym and down the echoing corridors of the Temple, he would see to it he and his master got there as quickly as possible.  
  
To be continued... 


	14. Part Fourteen

First Knight - Part Fourteen  
  
------------------------------  
  
"Welcome, Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker. We are so glad you were able to come."  
  
Anakin watched as Simtro, Dynast K'lia's manservant, walked towards them across the marbled floor of the large vestibule of K'lia's manor. Only a day had passed since Obi-Wan had received the message from Ahjane. Anakin, with the help of Chancellor Palpatine, had been able to secure a small, but fast ship.  
  
He had ached to get his hands on one of the new Jedi Starfighters but, since this little trip to Ahjane wasn't exactly sanctioned by the Council, and the ships only carried one passenger, he'd had to settle for the ship the Chancellor had loaned him.  
  
Anakin knew that Obi-Wan didn't particularly care for politicians, and he seemed especially suspicious of the Chancellor and his motives, but Anakin thought Palpatine was a good man. He hadn't even asked Anakin what he needed the ship for. He had just given it to him.  
  
Fortunately the ship had been large enough to carry more than two, for when Obi-Wan had shown up at the starport he had been accompanied by the Jedi healer, Master Eo. Anakin had felt a wave of foreboding wash over him when he saw the healer.  
  
Master Eo was a Quarren, amphibious creatures from Mon Calamarri. He had leathery orange skin, turquoise eyes and four tentacles that sprouted from the lower half of his face. Anakin had never met the Quarren Jedi, but he had heard Eo was one of the most highly regarded, if somewhat unorthodox healers in the Order.  
  
Obi-Wan had offered no explanation as to why Eo was accompanying them and Anakin had not asked. Ever since he had received the message, his master had been tense and non-communicative, his only words to Anakin curt instructions. And, during the trip to Ahjane, Obi-Wan had spent most of his time in his cabin, leaving Anakin alone with Master Eo, who had been equally uncommunicative. All Anakin knew, therefore, based upon what he sensed through the Force and the way his master was acting, was that something terrible had happened on Ahjane.  
  
Now, as Simtro came closer, Anakin felt that sense of foreboding even more. The manservant looked as if he had aged a decade. There were shadows under his eyes and his skin was pale and drawn as if he had not slept in days. He bowed upon reaching them.  
  
"It's good to see you again, Simtro. I wish the circumstances--" Obi-Wan stopped and swallowed. He gestured toward the healer. "May I present Jedi Master Healer Eo. I brought him with us in the hope that---"  
  
Obi-Wan once again stopped and Anakin noted with alarm his master's voice was near to breaking.  
  
"Dynast K'lia will be pleased you have done this, Master Kenobi," Simtro said. "Our own physicians have given up all hope."  
  
Anakin was almost twitching. What is going on? he wanted to scream. But he kept quiet, painfully aware this was not the time to indulge in what Obi- Wan liked to call his predilection for impulsive behavior. As Simtro turned and led them into the interior of the manor, Anakin urged himself to be patient. He would soon learn what was wrong.  
  
But, as they walked up the wide staircase to the upper rooms, and he noted the woeful expressions on the faces of the servants they passed, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what was wrong. He was suddenly afraid. Not for himself, but for Obi-Wan.  
  
Simtro took them down a long hallway. Anakin did not recognize this part of the manor. He and Obi-Wan had stayed on the other side during their visit here. They arrived at a large, ornately decorated door. Simtro opened it and they stepped inside. It was a sitting room. Anakin saw one of Onara's elderly aunts and a thin, sallow-faced man with a long, black mustache standing near a closed door that Anakin assumed led to a bedroom.  
  
The aunt turned and, upon seeing them, her eyes widened. Anakin had never learned the names of Onara's aunts. He wasn't even sure if they had any. They seemed to live in the shadow of their mother, the formidable Lady Tsara.  
  
The aunt moved towards them and, reaching over, clasped Obi-Wan's arm. Anakin recognized her as the one who, before they had left Ahjane, had given Obi-Wan the message about Onara's despair at being parted from him.  
  
"Thank you for coming, Master Jedi," she said in a querulous voice.  
  
Anakin could see she had been crying. Her eyes were red-rimmed and, even as she spoke, she would lift a handkerchief to her nose and sniffle. Obi-Wan introduced Master Eo. For a moment, the aunt seemed taken aback by his appearance. Obi-Wan must have noted it.  
  
"Master Eo is one of our most respected healers," he told her. "If anyone can help Onara, he can."  
  
"Oh, I see," the aunt said as Eo solemnly bowed to her.  
  
"May I see the patient?" he asked, his voice sounding as if it were coming from under water.  
  
"Yes, yes, of course," the aunt said.  
  
Then, as she turned around, she noted the man with the long mustache who had been standing to the side.  
  
"Oh, forgive me, this is Dr. Anel, our family physician."  
  
Dr. Anel walked over and bowed to them. He was clearly in awe at being in the presence of Jedi.  
  
"Where is Dynast K'lia," Obi-Wan asked, looking around.  
  
"He's in with Onara," the aunt answered. "As is my sister."  
  
Obi-Wan was about to go towards the door that led to Onara's bedroom, but Master Eo raised a suction-fingered hand to stop him.  
  
"I would like to examine the patient first, Master Kenobi, before you go in to see her."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, but Anakin could sense it was taking all of Obi-Wan's willpower not to rush into that room. The aunt went to the bedroom door. She opened it slowly, peering in. Then she called softly.  
  
"K'lia. They are here."  
  
At first there was no answer, then Anakin saw Dynast K'lia appear in the doorway. He gasped. If Simtro looked like he had aged decades, K'lia, who had already been elderly when Anakin had last seen him, looked upon the verge of death. His bleary eyes seemed to need to focus as he gazed out at them from the doorway. Then an exhausted, but welcoming smile, appeared on his face.  
  
"Master Kenobi. You came. She will be so happy. She was afraid you would not want to see her."  
  
"Why would I not want to see her?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice tightening with pain. "There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought..."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped, took a deep breath and quickly collected himself. He turned and gestured towards Master Eo.  
  
"This is Master Healer Eo. He would like to examine Onara. With your permission, of course. He is one of our most revered healers."  
  
K'lia, like his sister, seemed startled by Eo's appearance, but quickly recovered.  
  
"Of course, please, Master Healer."  
  
K'lia turned and escorted Eo into the room. He soon returned, gently closing the door behind him. Obi-Wan went over to K'lia and took his arm.  
  
"What has happened? All your message said was that Onara was dying. That she wanted to see me." Then a darkness swept over Obi-Wan's face. "Edress. Did he harm her?"  
  
K'lia shook his head. He slowly made his way towards one of the chairs in the sitting room, Obi-Wan assisting him.  
  
"No, no, he did not harm her. Unless you call giving her that most precious of gifts harm," he said wearily as he sat down.  
  
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"A child, Master Kenobi. Onara, blessed be the gods, became pregnant soon after the marriage. It was an unexpected, but welcome surprise. However, a month later, Edress contacted me and said she was ill. I sent Dr. Anel to see her. He has been her physician since she was a baby."  
  
Dr. Anel stepped forward. "Yes, I went to see her. I examined her thoroughly." He wrung his hands "It's not unusual for some women to react badly to a pregnancy. Onara was weak, fatigued, so I prescribed vitamins, plenty of bed rest, that sort of thing. I had no idea..."  
  
He stopped, bit his lip and turned away. Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment, then turned back to K'lia.  
  
"Dynast, please. Tell me what happened to her."  
  
K'lia sighed heavily. "She soon became so ill Edress thought it best she return home."  
  
Onara's aunt, who had been standing to the side listening, scoffed.  
  
"Hardly that, K'lia. He just didn't want to be bothered with her."  
  
"Gendra," K'lia said softly and Anakin finally learned what her name was. "You mustn't say such things."  
  
Gendra snorted loudly, reminding Anakin of Lady Tsara. Then he frowned. Where was that krayt dragon anyway? But he forgot about Onara's grandmother when he heard K'lia speaking again.  
  
"I told Edress to send her home. And I tell you, Master Kenobi," and K'lia reached up and grasped Obi-Wan's hands, "never was a father more happy to see his little girl. But she was so weak."  
  
K'lia released Obi-Wan's hands, lowered his head and sighed. For a moment he remained silent. Then he raised his head.  
  
"Again, we all thought it was something that would pass once the baby was born. A couple of weeks ago, Onara's strength returned. She was even able to get out of bed and take a walk in the garden. The honeyroses had bloomed and she wanted to see them."  
  
He smiled, then his face fell. "A few days ago her water broke. All seemed fine. Then..." He stopped, his wrinkled throat working. "She suddenly seemed to have no strength in her. She couldn't even push the baby out. Dr. Anel had to remove him by surgery." The Dynast's red-rimmed eyes brightened for a moment. "Yes, a boy, Master Kenobi, a fine, healthy boy."  
  
"Edress's son," Anakin heard Obi-Wan whisper.  
  
K'lia nodded, smiling. "Yes, Edress's son. And my heir. Someone to rule after I am gone." Then his face sobered. "But, having the baby seemed take all Onara's strength. The physicians could do nothing. We brought her home from the hospital so she could spend her last days here with us. With her family and those who love her."  
  
He clasped Obi-Wan's hands and squeezed them.  
  
"She asked me to contact you, Master Kenobi. Forgive me for doing so, for I know you are a very busy man. But, she wanted to see you...before...before...oh, my little one!"  
  
K'lia sobbed and, releasing Obi-Wan, lowered his face into his hands. Obi- Wan bent down and took the old man in his arms. Anakin felt tears stinging his eyes. Then he turned as the door to Onara's bedroom opened.  
  
Master Eo came back into the sitting room. Anakin often found it difficult sometimes to discern the emotions of aliens, especially ones like Master Eo. His expression was no different from what it had been when he had gone in to examine Onara. He walked over to where Obi-Wan was still holding K'lia. Obi-Wan looked up, as did K'lia. Both men had the same expression of desperate hope on their faces.  
  
"I am sorry," Master Eo said. "There is no easy way to say this. She is very ill. Near death. I fear there is not much I can do to help her."  
  
Both Obi-Wan and K'lia's faces fell, but the elderly man seemed to crumple within himself like an imploding building. Obi-Wan reached over and put his arm around K'lia's shaking shoulders. Gendra began sobbing into her handkerchief as Dr. Anel patted her on her back.  
  
"The damage done to her body by the baby's high midi-chlorian count was too extensive," Eo went on.  
  
Anakin's eyes widened. Midi-chlorians! He glanced at Obi-Wan. His master's face was as white as a sheet.  
  
"If she had received the proper medications...." and Eo stopped as he looked over at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Midi-chlorians? I...I don't understand," K'lia said. "What are these midi- chlorians you speak of and what did they do to Onara?"  
  
"Midi-chlorians are microscopic life-forms that exist within the cells of all living creatures," Eo explained. "A high concentration of them enables one to touch and manipulate the Force."  
  
"And you're saying that Edress's and Onara's baby has a high concentration of these...these midi-chlorians?"  
  
Eo's face tentacles wriggled. "Edress? Who is Edress?"  
  
"The baby's father." K'lia answered.  
  
Eo glanced at Obi-Wan, then back to K'lia, clearing his throat.  
  
"Although it is rare," Eo went on, "sometimes there is an adverse reaction by the mother's body to the high midi-chlorian count of the baby she is carrying. The baby, because it is so strongly connected to the Force, can weaken the body of the mother if she herself is not Force sensitive. As I said, it's very rare. And, when it does occur, most of the time this condition is not fatal. The woman has to spend more time recovering from the pregnancy, but she does recover. But in rare cases such as this.... Eo stopped, his face tentacles wriggling. "However, there are drugs that could have been administered to the young woman to counteract the condition."  
  
"Do you have such drugs?" K'lia asked.  
  
Eo shook his head. "They would do no good now. The damage to her body is too extensive. I'm sorry."  
  
K'lia lowered his head. He released a heavy, deep sigh. Then he looked back up at Eo.  
  
"How long does she have?"  
  
"A few days. A week at best."  
  
K'lia slowly closed his eyes. Obi-Wan held him firmly by the shoulder for it looked as if the Dynast was going to collapse. K'lia then took in a deep breath, straightened his back, opened his eyes and looked over at Healer Eo.  
  
"I understand. I am honored and grateful that such a one as you would take the time to come to Ahjane."  
  
Master Eo inclined his head. "You are welcome, Dynast K'lia."  
  
"May I ask a favor of you, Master Healer?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Would you be so kind as to examine my grandson? If he does carry these high levels of midi-chlorians of which you speak---"  
  
"Of course. I would be happy to."  
  
K'lia gestured towards Simtro. "My manservant will take you to the nursery."  
  
Simtro bowed and indicated Eo should follow him. The two left the sitting room. As they did, Dr. Anel asked permission to leave. He was overdue for his rounds at the hospital. K'lia thanked him for his time. The physician bowed and left the chamber.  
  
Anakin was still digesting the news that Onara was suffering from midi- chlorian poisoning. He recalled having heard something about it in one of his biology study modules at the Temple. He looked over at Obi-Wan, then at K'lia. The Dynast was still so shaken regarding the news about Onara, it was clear he hadn't yet made the connection. That Onara had given birth to Obi-Wan's child. Obi-Wan touched K'lia on his shoulder.  
  
"Dynast K'lia? May I please see Onara now?"  
  
"No, you may not!" a shrill, strident voice cried, cutting through the air like a sword.  
  
To be continued..... 


	15. Part Fifteen

First Knight - Part Fifteen  
  
---------------  
  
Anakin turned, his heart thumping at the sound of that harsh, imperious voice. Lady Tsara stood in the doorway of the sitting room, her wrinkled face blazing with both anger, and surprisingly, what looked like fear.  
  
"Mother," K'lia cried. He quickly went over and took her arm. "You've returned."  
  
"You know how remote Lujsaso Province is, K'lia. I came as quickly as I could once I'd heard Onara had gone into labor."  
  
Then her black eyes glowed with a predatory glimmer.  
  
"Has the child been born?" she asked eagerly.  
  
"Yes, Mother, a boy."  
  
Tsara clapped her hands together, her face upturned to the ceiling.  
  
"Praise be to the gods. A boy!"  
  
"But, Mother," K'lia went on sadly, "Onara is---"  
  
"What are they doing here?" Tsara asked sharply.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The Jedi," she said, waving brusquely at Anakin and Obi-Wan. "They have no business here." Then her eyes widened. "You can't let them take him, K'lia!"  
  
"Take him? Mother, what are you talking about? Take who?"  
  
Tsara went over and stood in front of Obi-Wan, her wrinkled lips working.  
  
"I won't let you have him," she hissed as she gazed angrily up at him. "If that's why you've come, you can just turn around and go back to Coruscant."  
  
"I came to see Onara," Obi-Wan said tightly, his blue-gray eyes darkening. "And I'm going to see her."  
  
Obi-Wan turned towards the bedroom. Tsara made as if to stop him, but Anakin grabbed her arm. She glared up at him.  
  
"Release me, young one. Or I swear, you will live to regret it."  
  
Obi-Wan had stopped, but K'lia nodded for him to continue into Onara's room. Obi-Wan looked over at Anakin and, for a moment, the young Jedi thought he was going to be reprimanded for having grabbed Lady Tsara. However, Obi-Wan said nothing. He opened the door to Onara's bedroom and, closing it behind him, went inside. Lady Tsara jerked her arm from Anakin's hand and whirled on K'lia.  
  
"Why are the Jedi here, K'lia?"  
  
"I asked them to come. Onara wanted to see Master Kenobi. She's dying, Mother."  
  
"Dying?"  
  
"Yes," K'lia said sadly. "The physicians say there's nothing to be done."  
  
"Well, these things happen, K'lia. Women sometimes die as the result of childbirth. Look at Onara's mother. It happened to her."  
  
"But this could have been prevented, Mother. The Jedi Healer who examined her said that if Onara had received the proper medicines, she would not be dying."  
  
"Proper medicines? For what?"  
  
"The baby has a high midi-chlorian count. It's a trait of those who are Force sensitive. It affected Onara, drained her of her life energy. That's why she's dying."  
  
"The baby is Force-sensitive?" Tsara whispered. Her eyes glimmered. "A child who has the ability to use the Force will one day rule our province?"  
  
Tsara clasped her hands together and Anakin could see it was all she could do not to jump up and down with glee.  
  
"Our family will one day rule this world, K'lia. Count on it!"  
  
K'lia stared aghast at Tsara. "Have you not heard a word I've said, Mother. Onara is dying!"  
  
"I heard you," Tsara snapped. "But, if as you say, nothing can be done about it, we must look to the future. To the future of our family."  
  
She reached over and clasped K'lia's shoulder. "You have a heir now, my son."  
  
Tsara smiled, but to Anakin her smile looked ravenous, like that of a womp rat salivating over its prey. It looked nothing like the smile of a woman who had just learned she had been made a great-grandmother.  
  
"Think of it, K'lia," she went on, her dark eyes glittering. "A grandson to rule after you are gone. And, with his Force powers, he will one day rule this world. And our family will finally take its rightful place."  
  
But, before she could say more, Master Eo and Simtro entered the sitting room. If K'lia and his sister had been surprised by Eo's appearance, Tsara was not only surprised, but horrified.  
  
"What is that thing?" she screamed pointing at Eo.  
  
"He is Jedi Master Healer Eo," Anakin said sharply. "And you _will_ show him the proper respect!"  
  
Tsara glared at Anakin. However, if Eo was affected by her words he gave no sign. He ignored her and went over to K'lia.  
  
"I have examined the baby, Dynast K'lia. He is perfectly healthy. I took a sample of his blood and his midi-chlorian count is, as I suspected, very high. High enough to warrant acceptance into the Jedi Order."  
  
"No, I won't let you take him!" Tsara cried.  
  
She walked over and stood in front of Eo, her wrinkled, enraged face thrust up towards his. "You'll have to take him over my dead body!"  
  
"Mother, please. I think that decision should be left up to Onara and Edress. They are the baby's parents, after all," K'lia said.  
  
Eo calmly turned away from the incensed Lady Tsara and looked over at K'lia.  
  
"I'm sorry. That is not true. This Edress of whom you speak is not the baby's father."  
  
"What?" K'lia cried.  
  
Eo raised a palm-sized datapad.  
  
"I carry in here the medical records of all Jedi who are currently active within the Order. When I detected the midi-chlorian poisoning in your daughter and," and Eo stopped and cleared his throat, "taking into account the presence of Master Kenobi, I did a genetic comparison between him and the child. It was as I suspected. Master Kenobi is the father of the child."  
  
"But, how can this be?" K'lia cried, dumbfounded. "Onara received a potion before the blessing ceremony which should have prevented her from becoming pregnant. It is forbidden for a woman to bear a child other than that of her husband's. Never in all the centuries that the blessing ceremony has been a part of our culture has such a thing happened."  
  
K'lia walked over and took his mother by the arms. "You did give her the potion, didn't you, Mother?"  
  
"Of course I did," she snapped but Anakin, though not as adept as his master at detecting falsehood, clearly sensed Lady Tsara was not telling the whole truth.  
  
"She's hiding something, Dynast K'lia," he said.  
  
"How dare you?" Tsara shouted at Anakin. "Are you going to let him speak to me like that, K'lia?"  
  
"Did you, Mother?" the Dynast asked softly. "Did you give Onara the potion?"  
  
"Yes, I gave it to her." She glanced over at her daughter. "Ask Gendra. She saw me give it to her."  
  
Gendra walked over and stood next to K'lia.  
  
"I saw you give Onara something, Mother," she said. "I thought it was the preventive. But, now, I'm not sure what it was you gave her."  
  
"Traitorous child!" Tsara spat at her. She wriggled out of the grasp K'lia had on her arms.  
  
"All of you are fools", she raged.  
  
She looked over at Master Eo who was watching her quietly, his face tentacles waving languidly. She pointed at him.  
  
"I'm not going to let that....that _thing_ take my great-grandson away. He's going to rule this province and then, someday, he's going to rule this world. And our family name will go down in history."  
  
"That will be up to Master Kenobi," K'lia said firmly. "If he wishes to take his son back with him to the Jedi Temple, I will not stop him from doing so."  
  
Tsara's eyes widened. She rushed towards K'lia, her hands raised into claws.  
  
"No, no! I won't let you do that! I won't let you ruin all my plans."  
  
Then she stopped, her face blooming with horror as she realized she had said too much.  
  
"Plans, Mother?" K'lia asked, his eyes narrowing. "What plans?"  
  
Tsara shook her head as she slowly backed away. She looked like a trapped and cornered animal. Suddenly, like the pieces of a puzzle falling into place, it all became clear to Anakin.  
  
Tsara's eyes widened as the young Jedi advanced on her. He kept his blue eyes locked on her black ones. Master Obi-Wan would not approve of what he was about to do, but there was no way he was going to let K'lia suffer in ignorance any longer. He had to know the truth.  
  
"Tell us, Lady Tsara," Anakin said softly, drawing upon the Force. "Tell us all about your plans."  
  
The Jedi mind trick was one of the first really difficult Jedi powers Anakin had mastered and, his mastery of it was such he didn't even need to use his hand.  
  
"Tell us everything you did concerning Onara and the blessing ceremony," Anakin went on, his voice pitched low and suggestive.  
  
"I...I..." Lady Tsara swallowed heavily.  
  
Anakin felt her struggling against the mind trick. It was true it usually only worked on the weak-minded, and Lady Tsara was possessed of a very strong mind, but Anakin was determined. There was too much at stake. The baby that Obi-Wan had given Onara, albeit unknowingly, was also responsible for her being deathly ill.  
  
Anakin knew his master well. He would take total responsibility and blame himself entirely for what had happened to Onara. Anakin narrowed his eyes as he concentrated, drawing the Force to bear on Tsara. No way was he going to stand by and watch Master Obi-Wan flay himself with guilt over something that wasn't even his fault. Lady Tsara had something to do with what had happened to Onara and Anakin was going to see it was exposed.  
  
"Before...before the blessing ceremony," Tsara began, her voice trembling as she struggled to hold back her words, "I...I gave Onara a potion that augmented her fertility."  
  
"What? Why would you do such a thing, Mother?" K'lia cried as Gendra and Simtro gasped. "You know it is forbidden. The traditions of the blessing ceremony---"  
  
"Pah! What do I care about the traditions of the blessing ceremony," Tsara snarled.  
  
Anakin was so taken aback by her words regarding the ceremony, considering how much fuss she had made over adherence to the traditions surrounding it, he almost lost his hold over her. But he quickly recovered and focused back on her. Tsara grunted softly as she felt him pushing at her mind. Then her eyes seemed to bulge out of her skull as she stared at Anakin.  
  
"Did you think I was going to pass up the opportunity your master presented with his presence here on Ahjane?" she spewed. "I didn't care about the blessing ceremony! It's nothing but superstitious nonsense. I wanted Master Kenobi to make love to Onara so he would impregnate her. And, despite all his protestations to the contrary, he did. Because all men are alike." She glared over at K'lia, her lips twisted with disgust. "Blinded by lust. Nothing better than animals."  
  
Anakin clenched his hands into fists, his eyes boring into Tsara's. Only his adherence to all his master had taught him over the years kept him from rampaging through her mind and ripping it to shreds.  
  
"If you think my master is nothing but an animal and made love to Onara out of lust," he raged, "then I feel sorry for you, for it's obvious you know nothing of love. He loves Onara. You have no idea what it took for him to leave her here in the hands of that...that so-called husband. But he did leave. He did his duty, just as she did hers."  
  
Tsara only stared blankly up at Anakin as if she had no idea what he was talking about.  
  
"And what of Dynast Edress," K'lia interjected. "Did you think of him, Mother, when you conceived this plan?"  
  
Tsara laughed harshly. "Edress? He was in on it!"  
  
K'lia drew back, a look of disbelief on his face. "He was in on it?"  
  
"Edress is sterile, K'lia, but Onara had to marry him for the sake of this ridiculous peace accord. He would give her no children, and therefore, she would bear you no heirs. So, in exchange for some lands of mine, Edress agreed to go along with it. He would pretend the child was his."  
  
"Why did he barge in on Master Obi-Wan and Onara the morning after the ceremony?" Anakin asked.  
  
"I wanted to get Onara away from your master as quickly as possible. If he had impregnated her, I was afraid he might detect it. I'm not that well versed on what you Jedi can or can not do concerning such things. I was afraid he would claim the child, take him back to your Temple and raise him as a Jedi."  
  
"So that little whole little performance was just a ruse?" Anakin asked.  
  
Tsara didn't answer right away. Anakin felt her resistance. He nudged her mind with the Force. She grunted, her eyes rolling slightly up into her head.  
  
"When I left you outside the bridal chamber," she rasped, her face twisting as she continued to try and resist him, "I went to Edress. I told him what I wanted. Ordering his guards to drag Onara from the bed and his pawing over her like that was done merely as a distraction, to anger your master, cloud his perceptions and, hopefully, keep him from sensing anything regarding her."  
  
K'lia stepped forward, his face so pale and drawn he looked like a walking corpse.  
  
"But, Onara? She must have known whose child she was carrying."  
  
"Don't be a fool, K'lia," Tsara snapped. "Of course she knew. Edress never touched her once they arrived at Kindah Province. He found the idea of her being pregnant repulsive."  
  
"But....why didn't she say anything?"  
  
"Because I convinced her not to. I told her the Jedi would be disgraced and expelled from his Order if it was revealed he had fathered a child while on a mission for the Republic."  
  
"But that's not true," Anakin cried, but even as he said the words he wasn't so sure. He had no idea what the Jedi Council would do to his master if they found out he had fathered a child while on a mission.  
  
Tsara give him a scornful look.  
  
"Fool! It didn't matter if it was true or not. Onara believed it. She would have done anything to protect your master. The foolish girl. She had fallen in love with him," Tsara sneered. "And I convinced her not to tell anyone, not even you, K'lia, in order to protect the Jedi's honor."  
  
Anakin was almost dizzy from the implications of what Tsara had confessed. She had callously used both his master and Onara as pawns in her scheme to secure a heir for her province. And not just any heir. A heir that would be strong with the Force. Even if the child did not receive the proper training, he would still be a power to be reckoned with. One quite capable, as Tsara seemed obsessed with, of one day ruling this planet. Anger ripped through Anakin's soul.  
  
"You evil, old hag!" he shouted at Tsara, suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of both rage and helplessness. "Don't you see what you've done? If my master had known Onara was carrying his child, and she was becoming ill as a result, he could have brought medicines from the Temple to help her. She wouldn't be dying now!"  
  
K'lia, who had been staring down at the floor, slowly raised his head. He gazed long and hard at his mother and Anakin saw the growing horror in eyes.  
  
"You did this," K'lia said in a deadly, quiet voice. "This is all your doing. You did this to my little one."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Tsara cried.  
  
"You've always hated her," K'lia went on, his voice becoming ragged and harsh. "Since the day she was born. Hated her because she was so like her mother. Beautiful and kind and loving. Everything that you're not and never was. And now you've killed her. You've killed my Onara!"  
  
"Pull yourself together, fool! I didn't kill Onara. These midi-whatever they are did that. If you want to blame someone, blame the Jedi. He gave her those things, not me!"  
  
K'lia stared aghast at his mother as she reached over and desperately clutched his arms.  
  
"Put your personal feelings aside, my son," she urged him. "We must look to the future now. To the future of our family. Think of it! A Dynast with the power of a Jedi!"  
  
K'lia pulled away from his mother. "Get out!"  
  
"What? What did you say?"  
  
"Get out! I never want to see you again! I will have you banished. Banished! And if you dare defy my edict and return, believe me, Mother, I will not hesitate to have you put to death."  
  
K'lia turned to Simtro. "Summon the guards. Quickly!"  
  
Simtro nodded and ran. Lady Tsara watched him leave. Then she turned back to K'lia, her thin, wrinkled lips trembling. But, as she looked up at her son's face, Anakin sensed she now knew she had gone too far. For not only had Onara, Obi-Wan and K'lia paid the price for her schemes, so had she. She looked over at her daughter.  
  
"Come, Gendra."  
  
Gendra slowly shook her head.  
  
"No, I will not go with you, Mother. I never want to see you again." Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her wrinkled cheeks. "How could you, Mother? How could you do such a terrible thing to Onara? To the Jedi? To us?"  
  
Tsara stared in shock at her daughter, then her face darkened with anger.  
  
"Stay with your brother then!" she cried. "He's nothing but a weak fool. You're all nothing but weak fools! Our family's name will die as a result of your contemptible lack of will but, perhaps that's as it should be. I did what I could. But, as always, none of you are grateful. I wash my hands of the lot of you!"  
  
Anakin heard the measured beat of heavy boots coming down the hall. Simtro appeared in the doorway with two heavily armed guards.  
  
"Take the Lady Tsara to her chamber," K'lia said wearily. "Keep her there under guard until I am ready for the banishment ritual."  
  
The guards quickly surrounded Tsara. She stood for a moment, glaring at everyone in the room. Then, head lifted, she sharply turned and, with a sweep of her robes, left the room in the custody of the guards. Anakin was about to comment that banishment was too good for her, that she should be imprisoned or, perhaps, even put to death for what she had done. But, before he could open his mouth, he watched horrified as K'lia slumped to the floor.  
  
Simtro, Gendra and Anakin rushed over to him, Anakin reaching him first. He put his arms around the old man. Master Eo, who had been standing quietly to the side during Tsara's interrogation and tirade, also rushed over. He placed his suction-tipped fingers along K'lia's head and closed his eyes for a moment. He opened them and nodded at Anakin to let him know that, at least physically, the Dynast was all right.  
  
"Onara, Onara," K'lia sobbed, the tears streaming down his face as he leaned against Anakin. "Oh, my little girl, my dear, sweet little girl. All those years I should have protected you from her. But I didn't. I didn't! Forgive me. Forgive me."  
  
Anakin held K'lia tight as the old man wept against his chest.  
  
To be continued.... 


	16. Part Sixteen

Hi! Thanks everyone for your kind comments! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. I hope that the latter part of this chapter isn't too weird. I have to admit that I was in a rather weird mood when I wrote it. :) Next part will be up Wednesday, August 21.  
  
First Knight - Part Sixteen  
  
---------------  
  
Obi-Wan gently closed the door of the bedroom behind him. He couldn't see much of its decor or furnishings. The room was dim and filled with shadows that hunched in the corners. The drapes were drawn and only small, yellow glow lamps scattered about on tables provided any illumination. He wanted to run over, tear the drapes down and let the light in. That's what she needed, he thought. Not all this darkness and gloom as if she had already gone over to the other side.  
  
He moved quietly over to the large bed. Onara's other aunt was sitting in a chair next to it. She was fast asleep, head lolling on her shoulder, her wrinkled face slack. Like K'lia and the others, the strain of the last few days was evidenced by her sunken cheeks and the dark circles under her eyes. Obi-Wan decided to let her rest. He turned back to the bed.  
  
Onara's long, black hair spilled across the thick, white pillows heaped behind her. There were dark, crescent-shaped shadows under her closed eyes and her heart-shaped face was pale and drawn. She was breathing so softly Obi-Wan feared she was already gone. But he sensed her life energy through the Force, although it was terribly fragile, like the flame of a candle trying to stand against a hurricane. He leaned over and touched her cheek. Her skin was cool and soft.  
  
He gently sat next to her on the bed. As much as he longed to take her into his arms, hear her sweet, clear voice, look into her dark, beautiful eyes, he let her rest. And, for long moments, he just sat there, drinking in the sight of her, going over the last few months, examining the days that had passed and the decisions he had made, wondering if there was anything he could have done to prevent this.  
  
At one point, he heard the raised, angry voices of Anakin, K'lia and Lady Tsara in the sitting room, heard Tsara's confession as to what she had done to Onara, felt through the Force as Anakin ripped it from her, but none of that registered on Obi-Wan's awareness. None of that mattered. Nothing existed for him except Onara.  
  
Then, eyelids fluttering, Onara slowly opened her eyes. They were dim and shadowed, with only a hint of the vivacity he had come to adore that night they had spent together.  
  
"Obi-Wan?" she said softly. "Am I dreaming?"  
  
"No dream. I'm here, love, I'm here," Obi-Wan whispered as he leaned over and gently kissed her forehead.  
  
She smiled weakly and tried to lift her hand from the bed. He took it and raised it to his lips as he softly kissed her fingers. His heart ached as he touched them. They were so thin and fragile.  
  
"I was so afraid...you wouldn't...want to see me," she said.  
  
"Never, ever think such a thing again."  
  
"Then you...don't hate me? For going with Edress?"  
  
"Hate you? Love, I could never hate you." He stroked her cheek. "I was so proud of you at that moment, even as it tore my heart to see you go with him.  
  
Onara smiled, then closed her eyes. Obi-Wan saw she was trying desperately to hold onto the thin filament of life that was binding her to this existence. She opened her eyes again.  
  
"Have you seen....my son?"  
  
"Not yet, but I'm looking forward very much to seeing our son."  
  
Onara's eyes widened. "You know?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded as he kissed her hand.  
  
"I should have been here, love. I'm so sorry. I should have known it, sensed it somehow. Forgive me."  
  
"No, forgive me. I should have....told you. But I didn't want you...to be dishonored."  
  
"Shhhh," Obi-Wan said as he reached over and gently stroked her hair. "None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get well."  
  
Onara closed her eyes, her throat working. Obi-Wan held her hand tighter. Master Yoda often said he was one of the strongest, most powerful Jedi he had ever trained. Surely, Obi-Wan thought desperately, that should count for something. Onara opened her eyes again and gazed warmly up at him.  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Yes, love."  
  
She smiled widely and, for a moment, he was reminded of how she had twirled about on the grass after he had leapt with her from the bridal chamber, her laughter as bright as the stars.  
  
"Do you remember the Katarra...how they danced?"  
  
"Yes, I do," Obi-Wan answered, his eyes gazing deeply into hers.  
  
"And the valkon?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded.  
  
"And I remember how bravely you fought it," he said, smiling softly down at her.  
  
"And the rain. It was so cold....so cold."  
  
She shivered and Obi-Wan gently took her into his arms and held her close to his chest.  
  
"Yes, and I remember how you felt in my arms in the rain. I remember everything about that night, Onara. Everything."  
  
"I regret...nothing, Obi-Wan," she whispered as she gazed up at him, her breath soft against his face, her dark eyes full. "Nothing. These past months...have been the happiest of my life. Knowing that...inside me...a part of you, a part of that night...was with me."  
  
"I was always with you, Onara," he said, his chest aching. "You were always in my thoughts. Always"  
  
Onara reached up and tried to cup his face, but there was no strength in her arm. Obi-Wan took her hand and placed it along his cheek. Her fingers moved slowly over his lips.  
  
"I love you, Obi-Wan," she whispered. "I love you...so much."  
  
"And I love you, Onara. I shall always love you."  
  
Onara smiled and slowly closed her eyes. Obi-Wan felt her life force slipping away. He desperately squeezed her hand. She opened her eyes.  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Yes, love?"  
  
"Promise me. Don't let..._her_...near our son."  
  
"Don't worry, love. I swear that Tsara will never harm our son the way she has harmed you," he said, a sob breaking his voice, the tears flowing down his face.  
  
Onara stroked his wet cheeks.  
  
"I...did not know...the Jedi cried," she whispered.  
  
Obi-Wan's throat was so tight he could hardly speak.  
  
"They do, love. They do."  
  
Then, as he held Onara's hand where it lay soft and cool against his cheek, he suddenly felt no pulse in her fingers. He squeezed them hard, but there was nothing, nothing.  
  
Obi-Wan's body stiffened in shock. No! Eo had said she had a few days! He looked down into Onara's eyes. They were as black and empty as that of a doll's. And, as Obi-Wan sensed the spark that had been her life force slipping away, he felt that same black, empty coldness which had engulfed him when his master had died in his arms on Naboo.  
  
No, not again, he wailed in his heart as he held Onara tight, his eyes so full of tears he could hardly see her. No, no, it wasn't fair! Not again, please, not again!  
  
"Onara! Onara! No. NO!"  
  
-----------  
  
As Anakin held the sobbing K'lia to his chest, he heard and felt through the Force Obi-Wan's tortured howl of denial. His instinct was to run to his master, but he didn't want to leave K'lia. However, the Dynast, having heard Obi-Wan's cry, was instantly on his feet. He ran to the bedroom door and flung it open, Anakin fast on his heels.  
  
At first Anakin couldn't make out anything in the dimly lit room. Then he saw his master. Obi-Wan was sitting on the bed, rocking Onara in his arms, her long, dark hair pooling onto the bed. As Anakin walked further into the room he saw Onara's other aunt. She was standing next to the bed, eyes wide with grief and horror, hands clutched to her mouth as she sobbed.  
  
Anakin looked back at Obi-Wan. He had seen his master sad, irritated, frustrated, but he had never seen him like this. And, as Anakin continued to gaze sadly at his grieving master, he sensed a disturbance in the Force. Obi-Wan was calling upon the Force with all his strength, wrapping it around Onara like a blanket, trying to use it, Anakin realized with dismay, to give life back to her.  
  
"Onara," Obi-Wan cried, his voice muffled, for his face was buried in her neck. "Please, love, come back. Come back. I promise I won't leave you this time. I promise."  
  
Hot tears filled Anakin's eyes. _Don't, Master, don't do this. She's gone. She's gone_.  
  
-----------------  
  
Obi-Wan trembled wildly as he called upon the Force with all his might. Never in all his years as a Jedi had he called upon as he was doing now, with everything that he was, everything that he had been, and everything that he would be. Fueled by the horrendous realization that just as he had discovered the joy and the beauty and the strength that was love, he had lost it, Obi-Wan was filled, not only with a profound and soul-shattering grief, but with hatred and rage.  
  
Rage at Lady Tsara, rage at Edress, rage at the universe, rage at himself. For it was his fault. Of that he had no doubt. He should never have gone through with the blessing ceremony. If he had left Ahjane without ever having held Onara in his arms, none of this would have happened, and all of Lady Tsara's scheming would have come to naught. And Onara would be alive.  
  
Obi-Wan's anger burned in him like the sun, consuming him and leaving nothing but the power of his grief and his rage. And, even as he recognized that power, dark and terrible as it was, he did not shun it. He let it flow into him, vast and potent, cold and empty, and the dark power filled Obi- Wan and he reveled in it.  
  
---------------  
  
Far away on Coruscant, in his private chamber in the Jedi Temple, Jedi Master Yoda sat on his meditation cushion. He was alone, as was customary with his evening meditations. Hours before he had been in assembly with the Jedi Council to discuss, not only its customary topics of missions and assignments and the ramifications of events unfolding within the Republic, but what should be done regarding the failure of Master Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker to appear before the Council as they had been ordered. Yoda had sat quietly and listened as the Council members discussed the matter, some recommending a formal reprimand, others suggesting punishment either more lenient or more harsh.  
  
Once the discussion had died down, all had looked to him and Master Windu, as the senior members of the Council, for the final decision. Master Windu had, surprisingly, said nothing. Maybe he was, as many of the other Council members were, still too shaken at Obi-Wan's actions.  
  
Never in all his years as a master to Anakin had Obi-Wan ever failed to answer a summons from the Council. In light of that, and for reasons of his own, Yoda had recommended that, for the time being, nothing be done. Once Master Obi-Wan and his padawan returned from wherever they had gone, the matter would then be taken up and appropriate punishment assigned.  
  
Now, as Yoda continued to meditate, he sensed through the Force a great disturbance. He shivered, drawing his robe closer about him, his face twisting as darts of pain shot through his body. Then, his heart sinking, he recognized the source of the disturbance.  
  
No, no, the little Jedi Master, wailed in his heart. Not Obi-Wan! Surely not Obi-Wan!  
  
Yoda did not know the particulars of what was happening to the Jedi Knight, but he could sense that, as a result, Obi-Wan was allowing himself to succumb to the dark side of the Force. Shock and horror raced through Yoda. Never in all his visions of the future had he ever seen such a thing happening. Yoda had sensed Anakin's potential for such a turning. But not Obi-Wan. Never Obi-Wan.  
  
What has happened? Yoda wondered, an icy fear flooding his veins. What could drive a Jedi Knight of such strength of will and devotion to the Jedi Order as Obi-Wan Kenobi to such a terrible and grievous act? Then, Yoda knew, and as he lowered his head, he grieved.  
  
---------  
  
As Anakin watched his master, shoulders hunched, clutching Onara's lifeless body to his chest, his heart stuttered. Eyes wide, he looked over at Master Eo. He saw the Jedi Healer sensed it too. Obi-Wan was calling upon the dark side of the Force. Anakin rushed over to the bed, but he was unsure as to what to do.  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes were closed, sweat beading on his forehead, his body shaking as he continued to channel the Force into Onara, but now it was dark and cold, filled with chaos and fury and grief.  
  
Anakin looked back at Eo. Goosebumps bubbled over his skin. The Jedi Healer had unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. Anakin knew that the Healer, as was his duty, would not hesitate to strike Obi-Wan down if his master totally succumbed to the dark side.  
  
Anakin looked over at K'lia and Onara's aunts. They had no idea what was happening. Locked as they were in their own sorrow, they saw only a heartbroken man grieving over the body of their daughter and niece. They were totally oblivious to the wider implications of what was occurring.  
  
His heart hammering in his chest, Anakin felt as if he was in the midst of some horrible nightmare. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. But it was. He was going to lose his master to the dark side of the Force and then have to watch as Master Eo did his duty and killed Obi-Wan before he could destroy them all.  
  
Helpless anger surged through Anakin but, just as quickly, he suppressed it. No, that was not what was needed. If he hoped to save his master's soul and his life, he could not fight fire with fire. He calmed himself, doing as Obi-Wan had taught him over the years when Anakin had been in danger of being consumed by his anger.  
  
Once he was in control of himself, he reached over and put his hands on Obi- Wan's shoulders. He closed his eyes and reached out towards the Force but, as he did, he filled himself, not with the darkness and anger his master was calling upon, but with light and love.  
  
Anakin let himself imagine every moment of light and love he had ever experienced in his life. And, as he did, in his mind's eye he saw his mother, Shmi, humming softly to herself in their hovel on Tatooine as she worked on the machinery she repaired for Watto. He saw her wink and smile at him as he played on the dusty floor. Then he saw Padme, disguised as a handmaiden, covering him with a blanket when they had been on their way to Coruscant, after he had confessed how much he missed his mother, and the way she had gently comforted him, her dark eyes full of warmth.  
  
Anakin saw all of this and more as the memories filled him and strengthened him, but not with the darkness his master was drawing unto himself, lost as he was in his grief and anger, but with the light. And Anakin channeled that light to his master, pouring it into Obi-Wan with all of his power which, Anakin knew, was considerable. No one had as strong a connection to the Force as he had. No one.  
  
-----------  
  
Obi-Wan was lost in the howling maelstrom of his grief and anger. He imagined he heard the voices of past Jedi crying out to him, one of them sounding eerily like Qui-Gon, shouting at him to stop, but some of them, a few of them, encouraging him and promising him that once he had given himself completely to the dark side, there would be nothing he would not be able to do. He would no longer feel as helpless and as powerless as he did now. It was those voices Obi-Wan was now heeding.  
  
With the dark side fueling him, Obi-Wan's consciousness ripped through the veil that separated life from death. His awareness searched frantically through the void, hunting for that tiny spark that had once been Onara. The winds of oblivion howled about Obi-Wan as his spirit cried out to Onara through that whirling tempest of nothingness.  
  
Then, miraculously, he sensed her. She had not yet completely disappeared into the abyss. The flame of her life force, tiny and fragile, flickered just on the edge of Obi-Wan's awareness. He sped towards that tiny, golden spark but, as he drew nearer, crying out to her, Onara's life spirit darted away from him.  
  
Horrified, Obi-Wan realized she was frightened of him, of the hate and the anger he was emanating; the very hate and anger that had given him the power to pierce the veil between life and death and find her.  
  
Despair ripped through Obi-Wan's soul and he howled, nearly insane with the knowledge that the one thing, the power of the dark side, which, beyond all hope, had brought him to Onara, piercing the very veil of death, was now frightening her away. He watched in anguish as her spirit fled from him. Desperately, he tried to rid himself of the dark power he had taken unto himself, but he couldn't. He was too far gone in its embrace.  
  
Then, just as Obi-Wan saw the flame of Onara's spirit beginning to fade to nothingness in the distance, he felt a rush of power. Like a river that had overflowed its banks bringing water to a drought-stricken land, like the sun streaming through cloud-shrouded skies, bringing hope to a world covered in darkness, the light side of the Force flowed through Obi-Wan.  
  
The power sweeping through him washed away all the darkness and all the rage, leaving only light and love. And, as he recognized the source of that power, Obi-Wan's spirit was filled with both wonder and pride. It was Anakin. His padawan, the boy Qui-Gon had so passionately believed was the Chosen One, was channeling the light side of the Force into him, bringing Obi-Wan back from the darkness.  
  
Obi-Wan's consciousness was once again filled with light, and it blazed in the darkness that was the barrier between life and death. Fueled now by his padawan's powerful connection to the Force, and the strength and the joy that was his love for Onara, Obi-Wan's awareness shone in the void like a newly-born star. With his life-force now as clear and as pure as a silver trumpet, Obi-Wan once again called out to Onara's spirit.  
  
And she answered.  
  
To be continued... 


	17. Part Seventeen

First Knight - Part Seventeen  
  
-----------------  
  
"Now, now, Master Jedi, you must watch his little head."  
  
Anakin bit his lip to keep from laughing as he watched Gendra trying to help Obi-Wan hold his son. Hearing soft laughter, Anakin turned and looked over at the bed.  
  
Onara was smiling at Obi-Wan and their baby, her face, though still pale and drawn, glowing with love. By some miracle that Anakin had yet to understand, she was alive, although still very weak. Master Eo was hovering over her, examining her with both the Force and his medical instruments.  
  
K'lia was sitting on the bed next to Onara, holding her hand, just as he had ever since he had realized, beyond all hope, that his daughter was alive. It looked to Anakin as if the Dynast had shed years of aging. His eyes were bright and young-looking, and he also laughed as Obi-Wan nervously tried to hold the baby.  
  
Anakin shook his head as he moved next to his master. He had seen Obi-wan face down drug-crazed terror-troops, successfully negotiate treaties between factions that had been enemies for centuries, and perform feats with the Force that still dazzled Anakin. Yet, when it came to something as simple as holding a newborn, he was as helpless as a kitten.  
  
But, Obi-Wan had never spent any time around children. Anakin had. There had been lots of babies in the slave quarters, and Shmi had sometimes looked after them. As Anakin had been fascinated by the tiny, helpless things, his mother had taught him how to care for them.  
  
"Here, Master, let me help you," he said, pleased he could teach Obi-Wan something instead of the other way around.  
  
"You want to make sure you keep his head there," Anakin went on as he gently moved Obi-Wan's arm until the baby's head was lying on his master's firm bicep.  
  
"Good. Now, you want to cushion his little body along your forearm like this. Yes, just like that. Perfect!" Anakin cried as he stepped away. "See, much better, Master."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Anakin. "Thank you, Padawan."  
  
"No, no, Master," Anakin said, shaking his head. "Don't look at me. Look at the baby. They like to see faces."  
  
"Oh, sorry," Obi-Wan said.  
  
He turned and looked down at his son. The baby, who had yet to be named, had Onara's glossy black hair and Obi-Wan's blue-gray eyes.  
  
"Why, look, Master Jedi," Onara's elderly aunt, whom Anakin had learned was named Rylea, cooed. "He knows you!"  
  
Anakin looked over and started. The baby was gazing quietly up at Obi-Wan, his eyes, so much like his father's, locked on Obi-Wan's. And, if Anakin hadn't known there was no way a newborn could do so, he could have sworn the two were sharing some private communication.  
  
As Anakin watched Obi-Wan tenderly holding his son, he let himself note the changes in his master. Only a short time had passed since Obi-Wan's brush with the dark side of the Force, but the effects of that encounter were clearly evident, not just emotionally, but physically.  
  
There were streaks of white in Obi-Wan's beard and along the temples of his ginger-colored hair. Fine lines emanated from his blue-gray eyes, but it was the changes within Obi-Wan that concerned Anakin the most. There was now a mark on his spirit, a remnant, so to speak, of the dark side he had called upon in the depths of his despair.  
  
But now, as Obi-Wan gazed warmly down at his son, at least for the time being, that shadowy blemish was gone. Obi-Wan reached over and gently stroked his son's round, soft cheek, even as the baby continued to gaze up at him. Anakin smiled as he watched what his master was doing. Then, to his delight and Obi-Wan's bewilderment, the baby began rubbing the side of his tiny face against Obi-Wan's tunic, his mouth opening.  
  
"Oh-oh, Master, you shouldn't have done that."  
  
"What? What did I do?" Obi-Wan asked, looking worriedly over at Anakin.  
  
"I think you'd better give him to one of the aunts."  
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"By stroking his cheek like that, he thinks you're getting ready to feed him. And unless, " and Anakin shrugged, smiling widely, "you've got something hidden under your tunic that I don't know about that can...."  
  
"Oh, I see," Obi-Wan said, the embarrassment clear on his face.  
  
Everyone laughed as he quickly handed the baby over to Gendra.  
  
"Don't worry, Master Jedi," she said with a broad smile as she took her grand-nephew into her arms. "We have a wet-nurse for him. He'll not starve."  
  
Gendra went over to the bed, leaning over so Onara could kiss her son goodbye. She did so, her fingers softly stroking his face. Then she looked over at Obi-Wan, and the two exchanged a look that made Anakin's heart beat madly in his chest and the blood rush through his veins.  
  
K'lia, who was still sitting next to Onara, reached over and gently cupped his aged-spotted hand about his grandson's tiny head. Gendra rose up, and turning, left the bedroom to take the baby to nursery. Her sister, Rylea, who had assigned herself as Onara's personal nurse, remained.  
  
"He's beautiful, Master."  
  
Obi-Wan turned away from Onara and looked over at Anakin, his eyes full of warmth and pride.  
  
"Yes, like his mother."  
  
He turned back and smiled at Onara. Anakin still couldn't believe she was alive. He had clearly sensed the absence of her life force when he had run into the room after hearing Obi-Wan's agonizing cry of despair, but here she was. Alive. It was nothing short of a miracle.  
  
Obi-Wan walked over to the bed. K'lia smiled as the Jedi approached. Squeezing Onara's hand and kissing her forehead, the Dynast rose and let Obi-Wan take his place. The Jedi Knight sat gently next to Onara. And, from the way he was looking at her, it was clear he too could not believe she was alive.  
  
At first Obi-Wan just gazed silently down at Onara; then, reaching up, he slowly ran his fingers through her dark hair, gingerly touched her face and her hands, and drew the tips of his fingers along her arms, as if wanting to convince himself she truly was here.  
  
Then, totally oblivious to everyone else in the room, Obi-Wan leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. Anakin blushed. He had never seen his master kiss anyone before. Onara returned his kiss. As Obi-Wan pulled away, she reached up and caressed the white in his beard and along his temples.  
  
"My poor dear," she whispered.  
  
Obi-Wan took her hand and kissed her fingertips. Again, Anakin felt a warmth suffusing his face. He looked away, feeling as if he should not be here, as if none of them should be here, that Onara and Obi-Wan should be left alone. Then he heard and saw Master Eo sharply clear his throat and snap shut his medical-pad.  
  
"My patient needs her rest," he announced, the firmness of his watery- sounding voice leaving no doubt that rest was what she needed and rest was what she was going to get.  
  
Obi-Wan leaned over and kissed Onara one more time. She smiled up at him. Rising from the bed, he continued to hold her hand until just the tips of their fingers were touching. Then, with what Anakin could see was with the greatest reluctance, he let go. Onara's dark eyes gazed longingly up at him.  
  
"Don't worry, love," Obi-Wan told her in answer. "I'll be here when you wake. I promise."  
  
Onara smiled up at him. Master Eo leaned over and placed his suction- fingered hands along her forehead. He looked over at K'lia.  
  
"I'm going to use the Force," he explained, "to help her sleep."  
  
K'lia nodded. Eo looked down at Onara, his face tentacles waving gently.  
  
"Do not be afraid," he said to her.  
  
"I'm not," she said as she gazed up at him.  
  
Anakin felt the healer calling gently upon the Force. Onara's eyes slowly closed. Rylea went over and adjusted the pillows so that Onara was lying more comfortably, pulling the bedcover over her.  
  
Eo removed his hands from Onara's forehead. Gesturing to Obi-Wan, Anakin and K'lia, he directed them out to the sitting room, leaving Rylea with Onara. Once they were in the sitting room, Eo closed the door to Onara's bedroom. Then, for a moment, he gazed quietly at the three of them.  
  
"Is she going to be all right?" Obi-Wan asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"Never in all my years as a Healer and as a Jedi," Eo began, the awe evident in his throaty voice, "have I witnessed such a thing as happened here today."  
  
He stopped for a moment, his face tentacles wriggling rapidly. "It is most unprecedented," he finished softly.  
  
"What about Onara?" Obi-Wan insisted, his voice tightening. "Is she going to be all right?"  
  
Eo sighed. "Yes, for the moment."  
  
Anakin frowned and saw the same expression on Obi-Wan and K'lia's faces.  
  
"For the moment?" he blurted out.  
  
Eo turned and looked at him. "Yes, Padawan Skywalker. For the moment."  
  
"Master Eo," Obi-Wan said, "I don't understand."  
  
Eo shrugged his broad shoulders as he looked over at Obi-Wan, his turquoise eyes reflecting his puzzlement.  
  
"Neither do I. She is alive, when she should be dead. What you and Padawan Skywalker did in there---."  
  
"Me?" Anakin cried.  
  
"Oh, yes, you," Eo said, nodding. "Your master could not have brought her spirit back from the abyss without your help. It was the two of you together who have given her this chance."  
  
"Chance?" K'lia interjected. "What do you mean by chance?"  
  
"Your daughter is not out of the woods yet, Dynast K'lia. She is still deathly ill."  
  
"What? But, she's alive," Anakin cried, staggered by the thought that all that his master had risked, his soul, his very life, was for naught.  
  
"Yes, she's alive," Eo agreed. "But only for a short while."  
  
Anakin couldn't believe it. What had seemed a miracle had turned out to be nothing more than a horrible deception. Onara was still going to die. He looked over at Obi-Wan and K'lia. The Dynast was shaking his white-haired head, his gaze fastened on the floor. His master, however, was gazing somberly at Eo.  
  
"Is it my doing? Was it because I channeled the dark---?"  
  
Eo held up one of his suctioned hands. "No, Master Kenobi. It is not your doing. However, as a result of what she did experience, she may have some residual nightmares, but there are medicines I can give her for that. But, no, rest assured, it was not your fault."  
  
"But I don't understand----."  
  
"All you and Padawan Skywalker did, miraculous and extraordinary as it was, was give her some time."  
  
Obi-Wan's face twisted with pain. "How long does she have?"  
  
"A month."  
  
Anakin's jaw dropped. A month! Then, as if Eo had read his mind, the Healer looked over at him.  
  
"Yes, a month, Padawan Skywalker. However, it may be enough time for perhaps one more miracle. I did not speak of this before because she had so little time left to her then. But, with this month that has been given her by you and your master, there just may be a way to save her."  
  
---------------------  
  
Chancellor Palpatine stood before the huge window of his office, his hands folded before him, as Sly Moore, his staff aide, recited her report to him. The woman was an Umbaran. Her pallid skin and pale gray eyes matched her seemingly colorless shadowcloak. But he knew her cloak was actually adorned with intricate patterns visible only to her and others who could see in the ultraviolet range.  
  
As her sibilant voice continued to speak softly to him, the Chancellor, as he gazed out at the ordered chaos that was Coruscant, was almost lulled to sleep by her seemingly endless recitation of what was going on in the Senate, on Coruscant, and out in the galaxy. Most of it he was aware of, but he listened anyway, pleased with her thoroughness. Then, when he heard a certain name, his attention focused sharply back on her.  
  
"What was that about Skywalker?" he asked.  
  
"The ship you loaned him, Chancellor. A tracking device was placed on it as you requested."  
  
"And where did young Skywalker take the ship?"  
  
"To Ahjane, Chancellor."  
  
Palpatine frowned. He wasn't familiar with that system.  
  
"I want all information regarding Ahjane prepared and ready for me in an hour."  
  
"Yes, Chancellor."  
  
The Umbaran turned and glided out of the office, leaving Palpatine gazing thoughtfully out the window.  
  
To be continued.... 


	18. Part Eighteen

First Knight - Part Eighteen  
  
------------------------  
  
"What?" Anakin cried. "That's the miracle you were talking about?"  
  
Anakin, Obi-Wan, Healer Eo and Dynast K'lia were in one of the drawing rooms scattered about the manor. They had gone there to have some privacy so that Eo could discuss with them his idea as to how Onara could be saved. Now having heard Eo's idea, Anakin still couldn't believe it. Obi-Wan gave him a sharp glance.  
  
"Padawan," he said softly. "Let's hear Master Eo out."  
  
Anakin released a heavy breath. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked over at the Quarren.  
  
"As I was saying," Eo went on in his watery voice, "if there is one person in this galaxy who can help me reverse the damage done to Onara by the midi- chlorian poisoning it is Master Sinja-Bau."  
  
"Ex-Master Sinja-Bau," Anakin interjected.  
  
"Ex-master?" K'lia asked.  
  
"She was expelled from the Jedi Order some years ago," Obi-Wan explained to the Dynast.  
  
"For heresy and for conducting unsanctioned experiments," Anakin added.  
  
"That was the Council's position," Eo said calmly.  
  
Anakin frowned. "Well, from what I heard it was the appropriate position."  
  
Obi-Wan gave Anakin a warning look, then turned back to Eo.  
  
"Sinja-Bau hasn't been heard from in years, Master Eo. Do you think she's even still alive?"  
  
"I have reason to----"  
  
But Anakin, despite Obi-Wan's warning, was unable to keep quiet.  
  
"Master, this is ridiculous. Sinja-Bau was not only a heretic, she was insane. She can't help Onara."  
  
"Insane?" K'lia gasped.  
  
Anakin turned to him. "Yes, Dynast K'lia. I learned all about her at the Temple. She had been one of the most revered Healers in the Jedi Order. Her ability to heal even the most hopeless of cases was unmatched. Then," and Anakin shrugged, "one day she just went crazy. Started ranting and raving about the sentience of midi-chlorians. That all the midi-chlorians in the universe were just one gigantic life-form and that we were just cells in its body. Crazy stuff."  
  
"Anakin..."  
  
"And then," Anakin went on ignoring Obi-Wan, for he was too caught up in his tale, as it had both fascinated and frightened him the first time he heard it, "she started conducting unauthorized experiments on non-sentient life forms. It was only a matter of time before she started doing experiments on sentient life forms."  
  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said sharply. "You don't know that. As far as anyone knew at the time, Sinja-Bau limited her experiments to non-sentient life-forms. But the experiments were still considered dangerous and harmful to the life- forms and she was told to stop."  
  
"But she didn't. She was warned and warned," Anakin told K'lia, "Finally, she was expelled from the Jedi Order and blinded to the Force."  
  
"Blinded"" K'lia cried, horrified  
  
"Not physically blinded," Obi-Wan said quickly. "It is a procedure, only done in rare and extreme cases, whereby a Jedi is stripped of his or her ability to use the Force. It was done in Sinja-Bau's case because of the danger it was felt she would pose to others if she were allowed to retain her Force abilities, considering how insane she was."  
  
"And you believe such a person can help Onara?" K'lia asked.  
  
Anakin was about to speak, but he was silenced by the angry glare Obi-Wan gave him. He bit his lip and looked down. Then he heard Eo's voice. He looked back up.  
  
"Yes, Dynast K'lia, I believe she can. You see, Sinja-Bau was once my master."  
  
Anakin's eyes widened. He hadn't known that. He looked over at Obi-Wan and could see by his expression that Obi-Wan had. Anakin looked back at Eo.  
  
"Please, forgive me, Master Eo. I...I didn't know."  
  
"Yes, she was my master, but you are quite correct, Padawan Skywalker. She did go insane and she was expelled. But her knowledge of midi-chlorians is such that, if anyone can help Onara, it is she."  
  
"But, Master Eo," Obi-Wan asked him. "Is Sinja-Bau even still alive?"  
  
"She is alive."  
  
"But she hasn't been seen or heard from in years."  
  
"That is true."  
  
Anakin moved a step closer to Eo. "Then how can she help---?"  
  
"I have spoken with her, Padawan Skywalker."  
  
"You've been in touch with her?" Obi-Wan said. "You know that is forbidden."  
  
Then Anakin saw his master's cheeks color. Considering what he had just done a few hours ago, calling upon the dark side, he probably felt he was the last person to chastise anyone about what was or was not forbidden. Eo, as was his custom, ignored Obi-Wan's statement.  
  
"She contacted me a few years ago, Master Kenboi. I knew it was forbidden to speak with her, but she was my old master, and I still carried a deep fondness for her, despite her insanity."  
  
"What did she want?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Eo shrugged. "Nothing. Just to talk. I sensed she was quite lonely, but, unfortunately, still quite insane. But now her insanity had taken a different turn. Instead of the sentience of this galactic organism she claimed the midi-chlorians comprised, her obsession was now the destruction of the Jedi Order."  
  
"What?" Anakin gasped.  
  
Eo nodded. "Yes, according to her she had been having visions. Visions of the Jedi Temple in flames, the bodies of dead and dying Jedi scattered about the worlds of the Republic and of two dark figures, their shadows encompassing the galaxy. She urged me to flee to the Unknown Regions. Take as many Jedi as I could with me. Told me to hide and wait. Wait for the return of the Light."  
  
Eo shook his head sadly. "Babbling nonsense, all of it. Anyway, I spoke with her for a bit because, believe it or now, interspersed among her insane babbling were moments of lucidity and I found myself speaking once again with my old master." He looked over at Anakin. "You never knew her, Padawan Skywalker, but before the madness took her, she was a kind, compassionate, intelligent woman."  
  
"But I don't understand," K'lia said. "Could she not have been cured of this madness?"  
  
"Do not think we did not try, Dynast," Eo said sadly. "She was one of the bright lights of our Order and to lose her would diminish us. But, whatever this madness was, and we never discovered either its source or its true nature, it was incurable."  
  
"And she's supposed to help Onara," Anakin said in a peeved voice.  
  
"If she can be found, yes, I believe she can help her," Eo said calmly.  
  
"But, you just said---"  
  
"That was a few years ago that I spoke with her, Padawan Skywalker. She may have moved on to another system. From her conversation, addled as it was, I got the feeling she did not remain long in one place. Her insanity, I'm sure, would not endear her to the local populace."  
  
Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest, his head down. Anakin recognized that posture. It told him his master was thinking hard, quickly analyzing in his mind all the permutations and alternatives of a situation. Then Obi- Wan looked up at Eo.  
  
"Where was she when she last contacted you."  
  
"On Lianna."  
  
Anakin nodded. He'd heard of Lianna. It was an industrial world located in the Allied Tion sector of the galaxy and outside of the Republic.  
  
"I'll go to Lianna first," Obi-Wan said. "She may still be there."  
  
Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan, his eyes wide. "You're not seriously going through with this, Master?"  
  
"Yes, Anakin, I am going through with this and most seriously, I can assure you."  
  
"But, Onara only has a month. We should be spending that time---"  
  
"Doing what, Padawan? What would you suggest we do?"  
  
Anakin opened his mouth, then closed it. Obi-Wan smiled, but it was a lopsided, bitter smile.  
  
"You see. We have no other choice. If Master Eo says that Sinja-Bau is Onara's only hope, then I believe him. And believing him, I will therefore find her."  
  
"She could be dead, Master. Or, if not dead, she may refuse to help you. I'm sure she has no love for the Order that expelled and took away her Force powers. Your being a Jedi will probably only enrage her. And, even if you do find her and bring her back, she's insane. She may not know anymore how to help Onara. She can't even use the Force!"  
  
Obi-Wan went over and put his hand on Anakin's shoulder and squeezed it.  
  
"That is one of your more endearing traits, Anakin," he said with a soft smile. "Your ability to see all the barriers and obstacles of any given situation."  
  
Anakin's face warmed. He didn't know if his master was teasing him or not.  
  
"But, yes," Obi-Wan said, moving his hand away from Anakin's shoulder. "All those things are quite possible. But, first I must find Sinja-Bau and bring her back. And then, and only then, will we know if you are correct in your assumptions."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and looked over at K'lia. "However, I will only do this with your permission, Dynast K'lia. Onara is my heart, but she is your daughter."  
  
Anakin could see K'lia had been digesting all he had heard. His wrinkled face went through a gamut of expressions, ranging from doubt to fear to, finally, acceptance and determination. He nodded at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Find her, Master Kenboi. And bring her here."  
  
Obi-Wan inclined his head. "I will. I promise."  
  
Anakin shook his head. He still didn't think this was a good idea. But, if finding an insane, Force-blinded, ex-Jedi Master was Onara's only chance, he would do all he could to see that it was done.  
  
"Well, I'm coming with you, Master."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over and gave Anakin a warm smile.  
  
"Oh, if that I had no doubt, my young padawan."  
  
----------  
  
Onara looked down at her baby. It was the following morning. Not many were up in the manor for it was still quite early. Her son was sleeping soundly in her arms now that his little belly was full. The wet-nurse, a buxom, smiling woman named Gretta, who had just left her chamber, had told Onara that not only did he have a healthy appetite, but he was one of the most well-behaved babies she had ever nursed.  
  
Onara smiled fondly as she let her gaze travel slowly over her son. She had already memorized every part of him; his thick, black hair, his long, dark lashes, and his eyes, which never failed to make her breath catch, for they were so much like Obi-Wan's. She sighed. If not for what Obi-Wan had done in bringing her back, she would not have had this chance to truly know her son. And, even if she still had only a month to live, she was going to cherish each and every day of it.  
  
Last night Onara had awoken for a bit from her Force-induced slumber to find Obi-Wan sitting in a chair next to her bed. She could tell he had been watching her sleep. She had been very drowsy and had felt herself falling asleep again. But she did remember Obi-Wan reaching over to take her hand and hold it to his lips.  
  
The next thing Onara knew it was morning and the sun, which she had not thought to ever see again, was streaming like spun gold through her windows. Gendra had already been in her chamber, readying her bath. She had asked where Obi-Wan was. Getting some sleep finally, her aunt had told her. Once Onara had been bathed and readied for the day, the wet-nurse had brought her son in for a visit. Gendra had left for a moment to check on Onara's morning meal.  
  
Now, leaning over, Onara gently rubbed her face against her son's soft, warm cheek, breathing in his sweet, baby smell. The day after tomorrow her father had chosen for the naming ceremony. At the rising of the sun the priestess from the cathedral, who would come to the manor since Onara was too ill to leave it, would conduct the ceremony and gave her baby a name. Onara imagined the priestess diligently consulting the lineage charts of Onara's family, searching for the perfect name for a future Dynast.  
  
Then Onara frowned. Her son wasn't just the grandson of a Dynast, but the son of a Jedi Knight and, according to the Jedi Healer, quite capable of becoming a Jedi. Onara sighed. She remembered telling Obi-Wan the night of the blessing ceremony that she would never have to worry about whether to give a child of hers to the Jedi Temple. Now, she found herself faced with that possibility.  
  
She gently tightened her arms about her son. No, she could never give him up. But, she also knew, she could not deny Obi-Wan anything either and if, by chance, he wanted to take his son back with him to the Jedi Temple what would she do? Then she remembered. She would be gone in a month. It would be up to her father and Obi-Wan as to what her son's future would be.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to her chamber opened. She watched as her father and Aunt Gendra walked into her bedroom. Her father smiled at her, but she could see in his eyes that something was on his mind.  
  
"Father," Onara said. "Pleasant morning."  
  
"Pleasant morning to you, little one," he said softly as he sat next to her on the bed.  
  
He reached over, kissed her on the forehead, then leaned down and kissed the baby on his.  
  
"And how is my handsome grandson this fine morning," he whispered."  
  
"Sleeping the sleep of the innocent, Father," Onara whispered back. "Gretta says he has the appetite of a alok and the disposition of a sharna."  
  
"Hmmm, interesting combination," K'lia said with a smile. He looked over at his sister. "Gendra has come to take him back to the nursery. You need to rest. He may only be a newborn, but it can still be tiring holding him for too long."  
  
Onara wanted to protest, but her father was right. Although she was nowhere near as listless and tired as she had been before, it didn't take much to exhaust her. She still couldn't walk about on her own and there were times when she felt as if were fading away, as if the life-force that animated her was turning on and off. Leaning over, she kissed her still sleeping son, then handed him to Gendra.  
  
"I'll bring him back, dear," her aunt promised. "Later this afternoon. After you rested for a bit. And I'll bring your morning meal when I come back."  
  
Onara nodded. She watched until Gendra had left the room. Then she turned to her father. She saw he was staring solemnly at her.  
  
"What's wrong, Father."  
  
K'lia hesitated.  
  
"It's about the naming ceremony."  
  
"What of it?"  
  
"The priestess has refused to conduct it."  
  
"What? But why?"  
  
"Because the baby is not Edress's. She says it would be sacrilege for her to go through with the naming ritual since the baby came about as the result of the blessing ceremony, not from a marriage."  
  
"But, that wasn't my fault. It wasn't my son's fault. Grandmother---"  
  
K'lia cupped her face. "You and I know that and so does the priestess. But, tradition says it is forbidden for a woman to have a child by a man other than her husband. It doesn't matter how the conception came about. It is still wrong in the eyes of the priestess."  
  
Tears stung Onara's eyes. It wasn't her son's fault how he came to be born. Was her child to be denied a name as a result of her Grandmother's machinations? Then Onara wondered if her grandmother had even thought of that when she conceived her plan to have Obi-Wan impregnate her.  
  
"Then my baby is to have no name, Father?"  
  
"Of course he will have a name, my love. We will go through with the ceremony. I will conduct it myself. It will just have to be a secular ritual, rather than a religious one. But, I have consulted with my advisors. Since he is my grandson, he will still be my heir. Of that there is no question, but his name will not be recorded in the family scroll at the cathedral."  
  
Onara lowered her head. "Oh, father, is this just the beginning?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
She raised her head. "Is my son to be ostracized and reviled for something that wasn't even his fault?"  
  
K'lia sighed heavily. "I do not know, Onara. Nothing like this has ever happened before, a child being born as a result of a blessing ceremony. But, let us not worry about that now. For now, let us celebrate his birth. The future we will leave to itself."  
  
"You're right, Father," Onara said, then she frowned. "But if the priestess is not going to give my son a name, who will do it?"  
  
"I thought you and Master Kenobi could come up with one."  
  
"What? Oh, Father," Onara shook her head. "What a strange idea. The parents choosing the name of the baby."  
  
"Well, why not?" K'lia insisted. "You and Master Kenobi created the child. Why shouldn't you name him?"  
  
Onara looked at him for a moment, then softly smiled. "Yes, you're right, Father. Why shouldn't we?"  
  
"I'm glad you agree. But, you must choose one quickly."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm going to hold the naming ceremony in the morning."  
  
"In the morning? But why?"  
  
K'lia cleared his throat. He looked away for a moment, then back at Onara.  
  
"Because Master Kenobi and his apprentice are leaving tomorrow."  
  
Onara gasped, her heart turning over. She was about to ask her father why Obi-Wan was leaving, but then she stopped herself. Obi-Wan wasn't her husband, and he certainly hadn't willingly given her this child. He was under no obligation to remain with her. Her father must have seen her expression, for he quickly told her of Obi-Wan's plan to go in search of the ex-Jedi Master Sinja-Bau.  
  
"No, father, please, don't let him go."  
  
"Onara, he must. If he succeeds it will save your life."  
  
"And if something should happen to him? Then I will still die. And our child will have no mother and no father."  
  
"You mustn't think such things. Master Kenobi will find this woman."  
  
Onara's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Father, this is all my fault."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Obi-Wan is doing all these...these things for me. Things that I fear will harm him, if not now, then in the long run. Master Eo told me Obi-Wan deliberately ignored a summons from his Council to come to Ahjane. And bringing me back the way he did. Calling upon the dark side of the Force. Risking his soul and his life to do so. Father, I'm afraid for him."  
  
Onara knew her father was unaware of the story Obi-Wan had told her the night of the blessing ceremony. Of how he had almost touched the dark side as a boy, and how dangerous it was for a Jedi to do so. Now, he had touched it, and he had used it to bring her back, and it had left his mark on him. She could see it, not only in his face, but in his eyes. And, although her memory of what had happened was dim at best she did have nightmares about it; horrible dreams of fire and darkness and a swirling tempest that howled out her name. She reached over and grabbed her father's hand.  
  
"Father, please, I beg you. Don't let Obi-Wan go on this dangerous quest. He's done enough for me. He need not do anymore. I was supposed to die. You and I both know that. But, I have a month now. A month I did not have before. A month to spend with my son. If that is all I am fated to have, then I am thankful for it. Please, don't let Obi-Wan risk any more for me."  
  
"I will not, Onara. I can not. Call me a selfish old man, but if there's a chance to save you, then I will grab it and hold onto it with all my strength."  
  
Onara drew her hand away. She closed her eyes and turned her head.  
  
"Oh, Father, don't you see. I can not bear the thought of losing him," she whispered.  
  
"I know. But, trust me, I do not believe Master Kenobi will fail. He will find this Sinja-Bau, and he will return with her. And she will heal you."  
  
Onara opened her eyes and looked at her father.  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"Because he can not bear the thought of losing you," K'lia said gently.  
  
To be continued.... 


	19. Part Nineteen

Thanks everyone for your kind comments! Glad you're enjoying it. More to come! :)  
  
First Knight - Part Nineteen  
  
----------------  
  
"Ben? Obi-Wan, what kind of a name is Ben?" Onara asked, laughing softly.  
  
Onara, Obi-Wan, Anakin and K'lia were in the gardens behind the manor. It was later that morning. Onara had regained some of her strength although, Anakin had noted, such moments came and went with alarming rapidity. She was lying on a chaise lounge, thick, turquoise-colored pillows heaped behind her back. She had insisted she felt strong enough to walk, but Obi- Wan had ignored her, sweeping her up in his arms from the bed and carrying her into the garden.  
  
Obi-Wan was sitting next to her in a chair, K'lia on her other side, while Anakin was lying on the grass, hands behind his head, his eyes closed. The honeyroses were still in bloom and, amid the lazy buzz and hum of the myriad insects floating about the heavy-headed golden flowers, and the warmth of the sun bathing his face, he had listened drowsily to her and Obi- Wan discussing names for their son. They had gone through what had sounded to Anakin like every male name in existence. Then Obi-Wan had offered up the name Ben. Anakin opened one eye and looked over at Onara.  
  
"Ben," she went on, smiling, shaking her head. "Obi-Wan, dear, that's not a name. It's too short to be a name."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned at her. He looked over at K'lia.  
  
"What do you think of the name, sir?" Obi-Wan asked him.  
  
"Hmmm, it is a bit unusual, but I like it. It sounds strong. Simple, but strong."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Onara and, head tilted, gave her an I-told-you-so- look with his eyes. She shook her head again, her lips still curled in a smile.  
  
"But it's so short," she insisted. She looked over at Anakin.  
  
"What do you think of it, Anakin?"  
  
Anakin opened his eyes and rose to a sitting position.  
  
"I like it," he said without hesitation. "It sounds like the name of a man you can trust. That you know will always be there for you. That you can turn to for help, and he'll drop everything and come running."  
  
Then he blushed, fearing he had said too much, but he was pleased to see his master was smiling at him. Obi-Wan looked back at Onara. She had been starting quietly at Anakin as he had spoken, her dark eyes thoughtful. She looked over at Obi-Wan.  
  
"He sounds as if he's talking about you, and my dearest hope is that our son will be just like his father," she said softly. "All right. It's settled then. Ben it will be. Ben Kenobi."  
  
-----------------------  
  
Anakin fidgeted. This banishment ritual was taking far too long. It was later that day. The ritual was being held in a small amphitheater in the capital city, which was located some miles from K'lia's manor. Onara, of course, was too ill to be present and her aunts had elected not to attend. However, K'lia, Obi-Wan, Anakin and members of the Assembly, the legislative arm of the ruling body of Dynast K'lia's province, were in attendance.  
  
Lady Tsara stood in the center of the amphitheater, flanked by two guards. She was no longer dressed in her opulent robes, but wore only a simple, brown shift. Her feet were clad in rough sandals and her gray hair had been loosened from its intricate curls and lay about her shoulders.  
  
Her wrinkled face continued to blaze defiance, as it had done all through the tedious, convoluted intonations of the ritual of banishment. If it had been up to him, Anakin would have just given her a swift kick in the backside, but the Ahjane were obsessed with tradition. Everything had to be done correctly and according to custom.  
  
Now, finally, K'lia rose to speak. The elderly Dynast stood behind the podium located within the ring of seats that circled high above the floor of the amphitheater. He looked down at his mother. For a long moment he did not speak and, heart thumping, Anakin wondered if K'lia was having a change of heart. He had seemed to be completely under his mother's thumb, but that was before Tsara's conduct regarding her granddaughter had finally endangered Onara's life. The Dynast cleared his throat.  
  
"According to the practices of our people, which have come down to us through the years of fire and pain, and through the years of joy and beauty, I banish you, Tsara, daughter of Siole. You are banned from seeking either solace or succor within the boundaries of this province. You are banned from its valleys and its mountains, from its fields and its villages, and you may not return to it upon pain of death."  
  
Anakin looked down at Tsara. Her expression had not changed. If anything it had grown fiercer. She looked over at Anakin, and he felt himself almost knocked down by the vehemence of her glare. He frowned down at her, letting her know he wasn't afraid of her. She stared at him for a long moment, then returned the fire of her gaze back to her son. Anakin saw she was about to speak, but K'lia raised his hand. The guards quickly grabbed Tsara.  
  
"You haven't heard the last of me," Tsara screeched as she was dragged away. "I'll have my revenge on you all. Especially you, Jedi brat! Curse you! Curse you all to hell!"  
  
Her voice echoed in the amphitheater long after she had disappeared into the door that led to the cells below the amphitheater where she would be held until she was escorted to the border. Anakin released a breath. Although he was pleased to see Tsara get her just reward, it had not been a pleasant experience.  
  
The naming ceremony for Obi-Wan and Onara's son, however, which had been held just a few hours earlier, had been far more pleasant. K'lia had conducted it at the manor, and the child had been named Ben Gavon Kenobi, Gavon being Onara's family name.  
  
Anakin looked over to where Obi-Wan was standing next to K'lia. His master's expression had remained the same throughout the entire banishment ceremony. Calm and unruffled, his face revealing nothing of what he was feeling. K'lia, his body trembling slightly once his mother had disappeared into the bowels of the amphitheater, lowered his head. Obi-Wan reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
The Dynast raised his head and Anakin saw the two exchange words, though he could not hear what they were saying. Then K'lia turned and left the podium with the rest of the Assembly. Anakin walked over to Obi-Wan who was still staring out at the dusty floor of the amphitheater.  
  
"Well, she's gone, Master," Anakin said. "And good riddance, I say."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and fixed his apprentice with an appraising look.  
  
"Were you aware, Anakin, that there is a saying among the Yamara warriors of the planet Gend that vengeance is like a Karasian snake? Are you familiar with it?"  
  
"With what? Vengeance?"  
  
"No, the Karasian snake."  
  
Anakin shook his head no.  
  
"Ummm. Well, the Karasian snake, if it's not careful when it bites its prey, can wind up poisoning itself. It's the same with vengeance. Be mindful of that."  
  
"Yes, Master. But, are you saying that Lady Tsara should not have been banished?"  
  
"No, I'm not saying that, Anakin. But vengeance breeds vengeance, my young apprentice, the way maggots breed maggots."  
  
------------------------  
  
"How could this have happened?" K'lia raged.  
  
He paced angrily back and forth across the carpet of his office in the Assembly building. He, Anakin and Obi-Wan had gone there so that K'lia could officially enter Ben's name into the Assembly records as his heir. While doing so the captain of the Assembly guard had rushed in with the news that Lady Tsara had escaped the guards who had been assigned to escort her to the border.  
  
Tsara was supposed to have been released into the Veshone wilderness, a harsh, mountainous region dotted with only, or so Anakin had been told, small, meager outposts and some equally dismal mining settlements. The vehicle she and the guards had been riding in had been discovered abandoned a kilometer from the border. The guards had been murdered and Tsara was nowhere to be found.  
  
"She's an old woman," K'lia cried. "She couldn't have killed those guards herself."  
  
The guard captain nodded in agreement.  
  
"They were four of my best men, Dynast. She must have had help."  
  
"Find her, Captain. I don't care how long it takes or how many men you have to use, find her."  
  
"Yes, Dynast."  
  
The captain saluted and left the office. K'lia looked over at Obi-Wan, his expression sick.  
  
"She'll try to take Ben," he said to the Jedi. "She won't stop until she has him."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes reflected K'lia's concern. "I know."  
  
"I'll have guards assigned to the manor."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. He drew in and released a deep breath.  
  
"I should stay. Watch over Onara and Ben until she's found, but I have to go. I must find Sinja-Bau."  
  
Anakin walked over and stood before Obi-Wan.  
  
"I'll stay, Master. I'll watch over Onara and Ben," he said firmly, his shoulders straight, his head uplifted. "She'll not harm them. I promise you."  
  
Obi-Wan looked up at his apprentice, his blue-gray eyes brimming with warmth and pride.  
  
"Thank you, Padawan," he said, his voice thick with gratitude as he reached over and squeezed Anakin's arm. "I know how much you want to come with me, and I will sorely miss having you at my side, but it will put my heart at ease knowing you are here watching over them."  
  
----------  
  
Tsara smiled thinly as she rode in the covered transport which was taking her to Edress's province. K'lia was a fool, as were those Jedi. Her black eyes narrowed. Did they think she did not have a back-up plan? She hadn't lived this long without learning the value of always having a way out of any situation. While she had been under guard at the manor, she had convinced one of the servants still loyal to her to sneak her a small transmitter. She had then secretly contacted Edress and arranged for him to have his men waiting near the border to free her.  
  
Now, as she was being taken to the capital city of his province by his men, she wondered if she would have to get rid of Edress in order to carry out her plans for vengeance against K'lia and the Jedi. He had helped her but, she had noted, he had seemed very reluctant to do so.  
  
If she did have to get rid of him, she would have to find new allies. K'lia did not have many enemies on Ahjane, so that could present a problem. She idly rubbed her dress between her fingers as she thought, the transport humming beneath her. Then, as she felt the roughness of the fabric, her blood surged.  
  
She looked down at the plain brown shift and rough-hewn sandals she had been required to wear for the banishment ritual. Peasant clothing! Her withered cheeks burned with shame and anger. She would see to it personally that all of them paid for the humiliation she had suffered! Every last one of them, but especially that Jedi brat, Anakin Skywalker.  
  
She would make sure he suffered the most as compensation for what he had done when he had forced her to tell K'lia of her plans. Then, once K'lia and the Jedi were out of the way she would claim her great-grandson and, with her as his mentor, raise him to become the most powerful and most feared man on Ahjane.  
  
---------------  
  
Count Dooku, his hands at his side, stood straight and tall. Even at his advanced age there was no droop in his shoulders or curving of his spine. His tall frame was just as commanding as it had been when he had been newly knighted into the Jedi Order all those years ago. Then he had stood proud before Jedi Master Yoda. Now, decades later, he stood equally as proud as the holographic image which was being transmitted from Coruscant to his homeworld of Serenno formed within his private chamber.  
  
"What is thy bidding, my Master?" Dooku intoned in his dark, rich voice as he gracefully dropped to one knee.  
  
"Darth Tyranus," the image of Darth Sidious hissed, his face, as always, partially hidden by the dark cowl of his hood. "I have a new assignment for you."  
  
Dooku inclined his head. It did not matter what his master asked of him, he would do it. Without question and without hesitation.  
  
"I am pleased with your work so far regarding the Separatist movement," Sidious went on. "Your work must proceed unabated and is, of course, of the highest priority but, when you have time, I would like you to pay a visit to Ahjane."  
  
Dooku frowned. "Ahjane, Master?"  
  
He had heard of Ahjane. A minor planet in an equally minor system. He couldn't imagine what could be of importance on such an insignificant world or what had drawn his master's attention to it.  
  
"Yes. I want you to contact someone there."  
  
"Whom, Master?"  
  
"A woman by the name of Lady Tsara."  
  
--------------  
  
Obi-Wan finished packing his travel satchel. He looked around the guest room, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Then he turned as Master Eo entered the room. He bowed to the Jedi Healer. The Quarren returned his bow.  
  
"Are you ready, Master Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Yes, I just need to say goodbye to Anakin, Onara and Ben."  
  
"Anakin is with Ben. K'lia has stationed guards both inside and outside the nursery. He's also had a security grid activated about the section of the manor where the nursery is located. There are guards patrolling the grounds along with security droids. There are also guards stationed outside Onara's room, though I do not believe Lady Tsara has any interest in her. It is your son she craves."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. He still did not feel comfortable leaving Ahjane with Lady Tsara running about loose, but he was confident K'lia would take all the necessary precautions to protect his daughter and grandson. And Anakin was here.  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Master Eo. He hesitated in speaking, for he had already asked so much of the healer. Eo, his face tentacles wriggling in what Obi-Wan had learned was the Quarren equivalent of a smile, reached over and put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.  
  
"You don't have to ask, Master Obi-Wan. I will remain here until you return. I will monitor Onara's condition and help Anakin watch over your family."  
  
Obi-Wan jumped at the word. Family. Yes, he supposed that's what Onara and Ben were now. His family. Although, since Onara was still married to Edress, she was not his wife, but she was the mother of his child.  
  
"Thank you, Master Eo. I know you have duties at the Temple---."  
  
"They can wait."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed and lowered his head.  
  
"I suppose I should at least contact Master Yoda before I leave. So much has happened." He pressed his palm to his forehead. "Anakin and I ignored a summons from the Council to come here. I've never done such a thing before. I don't fear for myself, however, but I shouldn't have brought Anakin with me. I'm jeopardizing his future in the Jedi Order."  
  
"I wouldn't worry, Master Obi-Wan. Don't forget," and Eo tilted his huge head, his turquoise eyes bright with humor, "as master to an apprentice you have the great honor of being totally responsible for the actions of your Padawan. If Anakin came here as a result of your directive, which he did, he will not be deemed at fault. You, however---"  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head as he picked up his lightsaber and attached it to his belt.  
  
"I'm not worried about me. I just don't want Anakin to suffer for my....my..."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped. He wasn't sure how to define his actions of late. Mistakes? Misjudgments? What had happened to him? He had done things the past few days he would never have imagined doing in a thousand years. Ignoring a summons from the Council. Calling on the dark side of the Force. Running off to find an insane ex-Jedi Master.  
  
Suddenly, Obi-Wan wished Qui-Gon were alive so that he could unburden to his master all that was in his heart and ask him if he was doing the right thing. For nearly all of his life, Obi-Wan had served the Jedi Order. Everything he'd done had been, not for personal gain or want, but in service to that Order and to the Republic.  
  
Obi-Wan frowned. He was well aware that saving Onara's life would not benefit either the Jedi Order or the Republic. But, and a wave of emotion swept through him, saving her life would benefit him. Because he needed her. Needed her in a way he had never needed anything or anyone before.  
  
He had not lied to K'lia. Onara was his heart, and he had risked his very soul to bring her back from the abyss. And, he realized, if he had it all to do again, he would not hesitate to do what he had done in bringing her back. But, and a chill tricked down his spine, what did that say about him? Then Obi-Wan felt Eo's hand squeezing his shoulder.  
  
"I know what you're going through, Master Obi-Wan. It's not easy knowing which decision to make, what path to follow. Should you follow your heart or do your duty? I felt the same way when my master was expelled from the Order. I understood the reasons for doing it, but I never accepted it in my heart."  
  
"It is hard, Master Eo," Obi-Wan agreed. "But, I know what Qui-Gon would have done in a situation like this."  
  
Eo's face tentacles wriggled. "Yes, we both know what he would have done." He gently pushed Obi-Wan towards the door. "So, go and do it."  
  
Obi-Wan grinned. "I'll return as soon as I can with Master Sinja-Bau."  
  
"I know you will. Of that I have no doubt. And don't worry, I will contact Master Yoda myself and apprise him of the situation."  
  
"Thank you, Master Eo," Obi-Wan said as he bowed to him.  
  
Obi-Wan picked up his travel satchel. Just as he was going through the door, he heard Eo's voice.  
  
"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped. For the first time that phrase had a different meaning for him than its customary one. He now hoped that, as a result of his having touched the dark side, the Force had not abandoned him.  
  
"And with you, Master Eo." Then Obi-Wan hesitated. "Keep them safe until I return," he said, his voice thick.  
  
"I will."  
  
To be continued..... 


	20. Part Twenty

First Knight - Part Twenty  
  
---------------------  
  
"You look very handsome in black," Onara said softly from her bed.  
  
Obi-Wan looked down at himself. He had decided it would be best if he did not travel in his customary Jedi garb. Onara's aunts had found him some clothes to wear; ebony tunic, matching pants and coal-colored knee-high boots. The tunic was designed in such a way his lightsaber was hidden, but still easy for him to take hold of it when needed. They had also given him a thick, velvet-lined, amethyst-colored cape, in case they had clucked like mother hens, it was cold where he was going.  
  
Obi-Wan walked over to the bed. It was the evening of the day of both the naming ceremony and Tsara's banishment. He had planned to leave Ahjane much earlier than this, but he had wanted to go over the security measures with K'lia. However, as he drew closer to the bed and saw Onara, Obi-Wan knew he had no more time to spare.  
  
As had been happening the last couple of days, Onara's strength had once again waned. As Obi-Wan sat on the bed next to her, he saw she was pale and listless, the shadows having reappeared under her eyes. He sensed her life force ebbing and flowing like a tide. When Obi-Wan had asked Eo about this, the healer had said it was to be expected. But, he had warned Obi-Wan, the times when the tide was out, when Onara's life force was at its lowest, would become more frequent and last much longer.  
  
Obi-Wan gently cupped her face. "And you look beautiful, love."  
  
Onara shook her head. "No, I don't. I look like death warmed over."  
  
She tried to smile at her little joke, but couldn't. Tears suddenly filled her eyes.  
  
"Obi-Wan, please, don't go. Don't risk your life for me anymore."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head as he gently stroked the tears slipping down her face.  
  
"Sorry, love. I must go."  
  
Onara closed her eyes, her throat working. "This is all my fault."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
She opened her eyes and looked up at him, their beautiful darkness shimmering with her tears.  
  
"I shouldn't have you asked you to...to be my first. I should have done as we both had vowed. Not gone through with the blessing ceremony. None of this would have happened, and you wouldn't be risking your future as a Jedi for me."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled and, leaning down, kissed her. Then he pulled away.  
  
"But, Onara, if we had not gone through with the ceremony, we wouldn't have Ben."  
  
Onara's eyes widened at his words. She reached up and stroked the silver in his hair, the mark of his having called upon the dark side of the Force.  
  
"Obi-Wan, what is happening?" she whispered. "I'm so afraid. I feel as if we're both being swept away, as if our lives were no longer in our hands."  
  
Obi-Wan took Onara's hands and squeezed them. "I feel it, too Onara. But my master always counseled me that the Force speaks to a Jedi not through rules or tenets, but through his or her heart. I will follow what my heart tells me in this matter and trust that it is the will of the Force."  
  
Onara looked up at him, her eyes staring deeply into his. Then she smiled and, pulling her hand from his, reached up and stroked his face.  
  
"Then I will trust in the Force too."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at her words. "Now, I want you to rest, love. I'll be back soon. And don't worry about Ben. Anakin and Master Eo will watch over him."  
  
"Master Eo?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "He's going to remain here until I return."  
  
Onara smiled. "I like him. He tells funny stories."  
  
"Really? Master Eo?"  
  
"Only when it's me and him around," Onara said dimpling. "You Jedi seem to go through a lot of trouble to appear so stoic and serious, when you're really not." Then Onara's expression quickly sobered. "Oh, Obi-Wan, please, be careful. Come back to me, my love. Promise me you'll come back."  
  
"I promise."  
  
Obi-Wan leaned over and kissed her, but this time he let his mouth linger on hers and, although his kiss was gentle, as he pressed his lips onto hers, he poured into the kiss all his love and all his hope and all his yearning. He felt Onara's lips tremble under his, then she pressed them against his lips, and hers were warm and soft and they touched Obi-Wan's very soul and, for the longest, sweetest moment, nothing in the universe existed except the touch of her lips on his. Then, slowly, reluctantly, he pulled away. He gazed down at her. Onara's eyes were wide and dark and swam with her love and her hope and her fear for him.  
  
Obi-Wan caressed her forehead. Then he gently nudged her into a Force- induced sleep for he didn't want her lying awake worrying about him. Watching as her eyes slowly closed, he waited until she was deep in a dreamless slumber. He gently kissed her forehead, rose from the bed and left her room. Onara's twin aunts were waiting out in the sitting room, along with the guards K'lia had posted.  
  
"She's sleeping now," Obi-Wan told them.  
  
Gendra nodded. Then she reached over and took his arm. "Good luck, Master Jedi."  
  
"Thank you. Don't worry. I'll find Sinja-Bau."  
  
"We know you will," Rylea said warmly as she took his other arm.  
  
Then, surprising Obi-Wan, the two elderly women reached up and kissed him on his cheeks. As they pulled away, he noted both their wrinkled faces were bright red.  
  
"We've been wanting to do that for so long," Rylea said smiling.  
  
"We hope you don't mind," Gendra went on.  
  
"You're such a handsome lad," Rylea then said.  
  
"And if we were many, many years younger," Gendra responded.  
  
"And you hadn't already given your heart to Onara..." they chorused together.  
  
Then both of them winked as they moved passed him and went into Onara's bedroom to watch over her. Obi-Wan glanced over at the guards who were standing at attention, their faces staring stoically at nothing. He shook his head, a small smile on his face, and left the sitting room.  
  
-------------  
  
As Obi-Wan walked into the nursery, he was pleased with the measures K'lia was taking to protect his son. He just hoped it was enough. Lady Tsara was not only malicious, she had shown herself to be a very determined and resourceful woman. Obi-Wan clenched his fist. He would find Sinja-Bau as quickly as he possible. He knew he would not feel at ease until Tsara was found or he was here himself to protect his son from her.  
  
Then, as he forced himself to relax he struggled not to laugh. Anakin, who was standing to the side, had not even noted his master's entrance into the nursery. He was too busy watching Gretta, Ben's wet-nurse, who was in the process of feeding Ben. She had undone the front of her dress, and Ben was suckling on one of her ample breasts. Gretta looked up and gave Obi-Wan a warm smile.  
  
"Just giving him his evening meal, Master Jedi. He is the hungry little fellow, that he is. But, as sweet and darling as can be."  
  
Anakin jumped at Gretta's words. He looked over at Obi-Wan, a deep red flush spreading across his face.  
  
"Master, I....I...." Anakin stopped.  
  
He stole a glance at the two guards who were standing at opposite ends of the nursery. Like the guards in Onara's sitting room, they stood ram-rod straight, their face as still as statutes. But Obi-Wan thought he caught a glint of humor in their dark eyes.  
  
"Hmmm, Anakin. I hope you plan on being a bit more attentive to your duties as guardian while I'm gone," Obi-Wan said, but his voice was light.  
  
"Sorry, Master. I was.. just...just watching Ben...ummm...eat."  
  
Then Anakin stopped, apparently aware that to say anymore would only make matters worse. Obi-Wan only shook his head. He went over to Gretta. She had finished feeding Ben and was now burping him. Once she was done, she handed him to Obi-Wan.  
  
"There you go, Master Jedi," she said as she reclasped the front of her dress. "He's all full now. He'll be fast asleep right enough."  
  
Gretta stood, curtsied to him, gave Anakin a sly wink and left the nursery. As Obi-Wan sat in the chair she had vacated, he found himself wondering if Anakin's face could turn an even darker shade of red. Then he looked down at Ben.  
  
His son was staring up at him with those eyes that were so like his own. Obi-Wan, even now, was still in awe and almost found it hard to believe he was holding in his arms this tiny, warm, little being that was his own flesh and blood. His son. He sensed how brightly Ben burned with the Force and it filled Obi-Wan with pride. He knew that with the proper training, his son could become a great Jedi. But then he remembered K'lia was hoping Ben would someday rule as Dynast of his province after he was gone. Obi-Wan sighed. He would not think of such things now. Ben's fate would have to be decided later.  
  
Obi-Wan was about to stroke the baby's soft, round cheek, then remembered what had happened before, when Ben had thought he was going to be fed. Obi- Wan smiled. Well, his stomach was full now, so it should be all right. He stroked Ben's cheek and, to his delight, Ben smiled up at him. Obi-Wan looked over at Anakin.  
  
"Did you see that?" he cried, the wonder throbbing in his voice. "He smiled at me."  
  
Anakin, having now regained his composure, walked over and shook his head.  
  
"It was probably just gas, Master." Then he saw the look on Obi-Wan's face. "Or maybe not. Newborns are pretty smart," he said quickly.  
  
Obi-Wan looked back at Ben. His son was still smiling at him. He leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Then it suddenly occurred to Obi-Wan that he could sit here all night, if need be, just holding his son. And it also occurred to him that this is what it must be like to be just an ordinary man; the kind of man for whom the most important thing in the universe was his son and the woman he loved. To not have any concerns or needs or desires beyond that.  
  
But Obi-Wan did have concerns beyond that. Not only did he have to find Master Sinja-Bau in order to save the life of his son's mother, but there was still his duty and responsibility to the Jedi Order and to Anakin. For he wasn't an ordinary man. Far from it. He was a Jedi Knight.  
  
Obi-Wan stood. He walked over to the crib and gently laid Ben in it. The baby continued to gaze quietly up at him. Actually, now that Obi-Wan thought about it, he wasn't sure if he had ever heard Ben cry. Anakin walked over and stood next to Obi-Wan. He reached down and gave his finger to Ben to hold. Ben took it and, to Obi-Wan's amazement, gave Anakin a wide, toothless grin.  
  
"Hey, look," Anakin cried. "He's smiling at me."  
  
"Are you sure it isn't just gas?" Obi-Wan asked teasingly.  
  
Anakin shook his head and laughed softly. "Okay, you got me, Master."  
  
As Ben continued to hold Anakin's finger, the young Jedi stole a glance at Obi-Wan.  
  
"It's time, isn't it, Master?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "Onara is weakening. I mustn't delay my departure any longer." Obi-Wan then took in and released a deep breath. "You know what to do, Padawan."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
"Master Eo is going to stay on Ahjane."  
  
Obi-Wan saw a brief expression of relief move across Anakin's face.  
  
"I'm going to take the ship the Chancellor loaned you," Obi-Wan went on.  
  
"I'm sure he won't mind if you do, Master."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. He looked down at Ben, suddenly unable to leave him. But he had to if he was going to save his mother's life. Obi-Wan turned back to Anakin.  
  
"Watch over them, Padawan. I'll return as soon as I can."  
  
"I will. I promise you, no harm will come to them."  
  
Then, before Obi-Wan knew what he was doing, he reached over and put his arms around Anakin. He was just as surprised he had done so as he sensed Anakin was that he had, for he had never hugged his apprentice in all the years he had been his master. Then, tears stinging his eyes, he felt Anakin fiercely hugging him back. The two moved away from each other.  
  
"May the Force be with you, Anakin." Obi-Wan said.  
  
"And with you, Master," Anakin replied, his voice choked with emotion.  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at him. He leaned down and gave Ben a quick kiss. His son gurgled at him, trying to grab at his hair. Then, turning, his heart heavy inside him, the Jedi strode quickly from the nursery.  
  
----------------  
  
"Master Kenobi."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped and turned. He was just going down the wide staircase that led to the entrance of the manor. He watched as K'lia walked quickly over to him.  
  
"I had meant to give this to you earlier."  
  
He handed Obi-Wan a silver chain upon which hung a oval-shaped pendant.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Open it and press the bottom of the pendant."  
  
Obi-Wan did. He gasped as a small holographic image formed over it. It was of Onara, smiling as she held Ben in her arms. Obi-Wan's throat closed tightly.  
  
"I thought you might like to have it with you," K'lia said softly.  
  
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said as he drew the chain over his neck and slipped it under his tunic where the pendant could lay against his heart.  
  
"I feel so guilty, Master Kenobi. Onara begged me to speak to you, convince you not to go, but I...." K'lia stopped, his voice breaking.  
  
Obi-Wan reached over and took the Dynast's shoulders.  
  
"I wouldn't have listened to you anyway," he said with a smile.  
  
K'lia returned his smile. "That's what I thought. Good luck and may the gods watch over you."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. He squeezed K'lia's shoulders, then raced down the staircase and out of the manor.  
  
To be continued..... 


	21. Part Twenty-One

First Knight - Part Twenty-One  
  
----------------  
  
Count Dooku's nose wrinkled. He could never get used to the stench of the Geonosian hive colony. As he walked through the dark, echoing hallway in the company of Poggle the Lesser, ruler of the Stalgasin hive, and his chief lieutenant, Sun Fac, he tried, as much as possible, to breathe through his mouth.  
  
He had been on Geonosis for a week now, inspecting the droid foundries and meeting with members of the growing league of Separatists. Dooku was pleased with the number of systems that were rallying around his cause. And he knew his master would be pleased as well. He was also satisfied to see that the production of the super battle droids were on schedule, though, as usual, Poggle was complaining about money. If Dooku and the Neimoidians wanted him to manufacture more droidekas, in addition to the super battle droids, he was going to need more money. One droideka was 200 times the cost of a standard battle droid.  
  
"Don't worry," Dooku told the Geonosian leader. "I have already approved the transfer of ten billion credits to your account."  
  
Poggle chittered and gobbered his approval of the sum at Dooku in Geonosian. Dooku was well aware that Poggle both understood and spoke Basic, but he chose to speak only in his own language; apparently as a way to maintain his dignity and elevate his position. It didn't matter to Dooku. He spoke and understood hundreds of languages, including Geonosian. But he chose to speak to Poggle only in Basic.  
  
Poggle nodded at his words, his command staff, which was rumored to be the limb bone of a rival, ticking on the stone floor. They soon arrived at the hanger where Dooku's solar sailer was housed. The ship itself was a gift from the Geonosians. It was a Punworcca 116-class sloop to which Dooku had instructed the Geonosian engineers to attach a pre-Republic solar sail he had purchased from an antiques dealer near the Gree Enclave.  
  
Dooku knew the Geonosians were in awe of the sail for, unlike traditional solar sails, which were usually moon-sized and were pushed by tachyon streams and ultraviolet lasers, Dooku's sail was smaller and was able to take him across the entire galaxy with no detectable power source. Once at his ship, Dooku turned to Poggle.  
  
"I shall return in about a month. I will inform my master of your progress."  
  
Poggle jibbered at him, then turned and went back into the interior of the hive, Sun Fac trailing him. Dooku entered the ship. He settled himself into his chair. His droid pilot took off and soon they were in space. As Dooku gazed out at the expanse that was the universe, he contemplated the instructions Sidious had given him before he left for Geonosis.  
  
Apparently this Lady Tsara that Sidious wanted him to contact had only just come to the attention of his dark master. The information that Sidious had given him was sketchy, however. Lady Tsara was the mother of one of the ruling Dynasts of Ahjane. Two Jedi, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, had been sent there some time back to negotiate a peace accord between two of the major provinces of that world. While there, Kenobi had gotten involved in some archaic ritual involving the daughter of Lady Tsara's son, a Dynast K'lia. Now, nine months later, the Jedi were back on Ahjane, apparently without leave from the Jedi Council.  
  
A corner of Dooku's mouth curled up. Nine months, he mused. That would explain Sidious' interest in this planet. But Dooku was surprised if what he suspected was true. Although he had never personally met Qui-Gon's former apprentice, he had heard much about Kenobi. Strait-laced, serious, high-minded, almost prudish were words he had heard to describe the young Jedi.  
  
However, Dooku thought, all men, even Jedi Knights, had their weaknesses. He idly wondered what this Dynast's daughter looked like. She must be quite the beauty to have successfully seduced a Jedi of Obi-Wan Kenobi's stalwart reputation.  
  
He would soon find out. Sidious wanted him to contact this Lady Tsara and find out what he could about her. Apparently the woman was someone Sidious thought would be sympathetic to their cause. However, Sidious had also made it clear that Dooku was only to offer the woman assistance, not get personally drawn in with any of her schemes. He was not to reveal his presence to the Jedi on Ahjane nor leave any evidence that he had been involved.  
  
It was a lesson Sidious had drilled into Dooku from the moment he had given himself in service to his dark master. Delegate as much as you can of your dark work to subordinates. Keep an eye on them, of course, but let them take the chances and shoulder the risks. Then, when they're not longer of any use, dispose of them.  
  
Dooku smiled. It was a worthy lesson and one that had proven most beneficial over the years. He ordered the pilot-droid to set course for Ahjane. As the huge copper sail unfurled from the ship, Dooku closed his eyes and allowed himself the luxury of a dark side meditation.  
  
----------  
  
Lady Tsara licked her lips. The feast was finally over. The servants had cleared away the dishes and all that remained was the desert and drinks. She had just finished a rather large glass of syllabub. The syllabub wasn't as good as the ones she'd had in her own province. The milk was not as rich and the wine had tasted a little off, but it would do. For now.  
  
She raised her glass and took another sip, her gaze fastened on Edress. He was sitting at the head of the banquet table. One of his dancing girls was holding a large gold and diamond crusted goblet to his mouth. Wine was trickling down his chin and spilling onto his silk robe, but he was too busy trying to fondle the girl to notice.  
  
Tsara's thin lips wrinkled with disgust. A week ago she had arrived at Edress's manor only to have his servants tell her he was too busy to meet with her. They had escorted her to her rooms, taken away and burned, as she had ordered, the peasant clothing she'd had to wear during the banishment ritual and, after her bath, had given her clothing more suited to her station. But, the day, and then a week had passed and still no Edress.  
  
Finally, unable to wait any longer, Tsara had gone to his private chamber, demanding he see her. She had made so much noise Edress had finally let her in. Not wanting to waste any time, she had asked him what he intended to do about Onara. Edress had examined his manicured fingernails, refusing to meet her gaze.  
  
Nothing, he had finally said. But she's your wife, Tsara had insisted. Edress had sighed and, finally meeting her eyes, told her that since Onara was apparently still ill, he had no interest in her or, for that matter, her illegitimate brat. Tsara had tried to convince him of the importance of having Onara and the baby brought back to Kindah Province, but Edress had dismissed her, telling her he would discuss Onara with her after the banquet he was holding that evening. Now, said banquet was over. Tsara put down her empty glass and folded her hands in her lap.  
  
"Edress," she snapped.  
  
The Dynast slowly drew his gaze away from the giggling dancing girl and gave Tsara a long, sleepy look.  
  
"Yes, Lady Tsara," he said lazily.  
  
"Onara. What do you intend to do about her?"  
  
"As I said this morning, I intend to do nothing about her."  
  
Edress glanced around at his other guests, mostly nobles from his province. Tsara could see they were no longer interested in the rich deserts or drinks. All their attention were focused on her and Edress.  
  
"But she's your wife. She should be here with you."  
  
"My wife in name only, Lady Tsara. You saw to that with your little plan." His face twisted with disgust. "I had no wish to bed a woman who was already with child." Then he pinched the dancing girl on her plump thigh. "Anyway, Onara is too skinny. She didn't even fatten up when she was pregnant."  
  
"It was foolish of you to have sent her home, Edress. If she had remained here..."  
  
"You'd have her little Jedi brat in your clutches, you wouldn't have been shamed and banished, and you also wouldn't be sitting here now giving me a headache!" Edress shouted, his face beet-red.  
  
The dancing girl, her dark eyes wide, drew away from the enraged Dynast. Lady Tsara, however, was nonplused. She stared calmly back at him. Edress was a puppy compared to her. She knew this and so did he. Struggling to collect himself, he picked up a glass and hastily downed its contents. He put the glass down, wiped his hand across his mouth and glared over at Tsara.  
  
"What, by the fires of hell, do you want me to do?," he asked. "Onara's sick, dying from what I heard. Even if I wanted her here, and I don't, do you really think K'lia is going to risk her life by sending her here?"  
  
Edress shook his head. He reached over and drew the dancing girl next to him. She giggled again as he went back to fondling her.  
  
"And do you think," Tsara replied, "that if the Jedi is successful and she does recover, that K'lia will send her back to you, now that he knows you were in on my plan?"  
  
Edress shrugged. "I don't care if Onara never comes back. With her dowry, the concessions I received from K'lia as a result of the peace accord, and now the lands you've given me as payment for my having helped you with your little plan, I'm now one of the wealthiest Dynasts on this planet. I don't need Onara. And I can assure you, I won't risk what I now possess to go to war to get her."  
  
Edress then grinned at her. "I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted out of the deal, Tsara. Your great-grandson. But I did my part. And, well, it's not my problem, now is it?"  
  
Tsara glared at him, but she had expected as much. If only Onara hadn't gotten sick. She would still be here with Edress, with no one the wiser about the baby's true parentage. Tsara would not have been banished and, most importantly, there would be no Jedi lurking about and interfering with her plans.  
  
But at least one of them was gone, apparently on some fool's errands to save Onara's life. According to her source in K'lia's manor, the same servant who had given her the transmitter, that brat Skywalker and that freak Jedi were still around however. Protecting, along with a number of Assembly guards, both Onara and the baby who had been named Ben.  
  
Tsara's eyes narrowed. Ben! What a ridiculous name! Once her great-grandson was hers, she would give him a proper name. One worthy of the future ruler of Ahjane. But first she had to get him. K'lia was wasting his time guarding Onara. Tsara had no further interest in her granddaughter, now that she had given birth to the Jedi's child.  
  
Edress was struggling to rise from the table. The dancing girl laughed as she tried to pull him, drunk as he was, up from his chair. Once he was on his feet, as he swayed back and forth, he looked over at Tsara and pointed at her.  
  
"I would suggest, Lady Tsara," he slurred, "that you..." Edress hiccupped. "...that you behave yourself while you are under my sufferance. Know your place. You do not rule here. I rule here!"  
  
Edress punched his chest and almost fell backwards as a result, but the dancing girl and another servant grabbed him. He shrugged them off and, bending over, hands on the table, thrust his face at Tsara.  
  
"And know this, Lady Tsara," he sneered. "I don't care about nor want your skinny, cow-eyed granddaughter. I married her for the sake of the accord. I put on that show in her bridal chamber and brought her, pregnant as she was with that Jedi's child, back to my province because you made me rich for doing so! I don't care about her and I don't care about your plans anymore. You lost, Tsara. Accept it. You'll never get your hands on that baby. K'lia's got a battalion guarding him, along with two Jedi!"  
  
His eyes narrowed as he continued to glare at her. "K'lia doesn't know you're here, does he? Maybe he'd like to know that. Hmmm? Wonder what he'd pay to know that? Or maybe I should just do as he did and banish you from my province."  
  
Edress grinned maliciously at her. Tsara kept her face still, but inside she was both seething and worried. She had to be careful. She mustn't push Edress too far. The Dynast stared at her for a long moment, his balding head glimmering under the glow lamps set high in the ceiling.  
  
"Remember. You are here under my sufferance, Tsara," he said finally.  
  
He awkwardly pushed himself to a standing position, wobbling as he did so. The dancing girl caught his arm. The rest of the guests hurriedly looked away from Tsara as they too rose from the table to retire for the evening. Soon only two were left at the banquet table, Tsara and a hawk-faced man with beady yellowish eyes.  
  
Tsara recognized him. His name was Jerule. He owned some lands adjacent to Kindah province. He wasn't a noble, but he was quite wealthy and very ambitious. He was the one Edress had wanted for the blessing ceremony. Jerule had promised Edress some lands in exchange for being Onara's first. But, and much to Tsara's relief, because having Jerule do the blessing ceremony would have upset her plan, K'lia asked the Jedi. But now, as Tsara gazed over at the man, she wondered if perhaps he would be of some use to her.  
  
Tsara knew she had to act quickly if she wanted to get her hands on her great-grandson. If Onara did die, there was always the possibility K'lia might let the Jedi take his son back with him to the Jedi Temple. Edress had to be gotten rid of and someone else put in his place. Someone who would be more pliable to Tsara's plans.  
  
Tsara raised her glass to Jerule, slightly inclining her head. As Edress stumbled his drunken way to his bedchamber, the dancing girl on his arm, Jerule raised his glass and returned Tsara's salute, a sly smile and a knowing look in his eyes.  
  
--------------  
  
Jedi Master Yoda let himself sink into the wonder that was the Room of a Thousand Fountains. The enormous greenhouse never failed to refresh his spirit, no matter how troubled or tired he was. The fountains and waterfalls that spilled and ran through the jade-green forest, the sound of leaf and water, all joined together to aid him not only in his meditation, but in unraveling the mysteries that had of late begin to plague his heart.  
  
However, as Yoda knew would happen, Master Windu had found him and was even now striding towards him across the velvet emerald carpet of grass. Yoda sighed as he adjusted his robe about him. Ever since Master Eo had contacted Yoda and apprised him of the situation on Ahjane, Yoda felt as if he had done nothing this past week but fend off questions from the Council and assuage Master Windu's concerns about Obi-Wan and his padawan.  
  
"Master Windu," Yoda said, struggling to keep the annoyance he was feeling out of his voice at having to, apparently, face another round of questioning.  
  
"Master Yoda," Mace replied.  
  
The two stared at each other for a moment, the tall human's dark eyes boring into Yoda's leaf-green ones. Yoda again sighed. He gestured towards the grass upon which he was sitting.  
  
"Join me, won't you?" he asked.  
  
Mace nodded and, folding his long legs beneath him, sat cross-legged on the grass.  
  
"Hide from you today, I see I can not," Yoda said.  
  
Mace shook his head. "Master, If you had meant to hide from me, you would have chosen some place other than your favorite meditating spot."  
  
"Maybe. What troubles you today, Master Windu?"  
  
One of Mace's thick dark brows rose. "Today?"  
  
"Ever since report from Master Eo I received, troubled you have been."  
  
"Can you blame me? One of our most respected Jedi Knights deliberately ignores a summons from the Council. One of our most revered healers runs off with him. The next thing I know, you're telling the Council Obi-Wan, Anakin and Master Healer Eo are on special assignment. For you. And you leave it at that. No further explanation as to where Master Obi-Wan and his padawan have gone or why."  
  
"Required is it that explain to you my actions?"  
  
"Of course, not. But Obi-Wan and Anakin are not just any Jedi."  
  
Yoda nodded slowly. "No, they are not."  
  
"Master, what is going on? You've never kept anything from me before."  
  
"True that is. Yet, until certain am I, speak I will not."  
  
"So, you're not certain now?"  
  
Yoda shook his head. "The dark side of the Force is growing. Clouding everything. Yet, this I do sense. The Force has manifested itself in a way I have not foreseen."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
Yoda paused. He did not enjoy keeping things from Windu, his most valued friend and trusted confidant. But much had happened of late that was still troubling. Yet, the need to share some of that with Windu was very compelling.  
  
"Tell you I will, some of what is on my mind. But between us keep this until ready to reveal it to the Council I am."  
  
Mace nodded and Yoda had no doubt the human would do as requested of him. He then told Windu of Eo's report. When Mace heard why Obi-Wan had left so suddenly for the Ahjane, his eyes widened.  
  
"A son?"  
  
"Yes. However, not knowingly was this child conceived by Obi-Wan."  
  
Mace shook his head. "Still, I would think if anyone would have known better not to have involved himself in such a thing as this blessing ceremony it would have been Obi-Wan."  
  
"Told him I did to do it. Want to he did not. If blame you must lay, upon me it should go."  
  
"You? But why would tell him to do such a thing?"  
  
Yoda remained silent for a long moment. "At the time I thought I knew. Now, sure I am not. But happen it has. Master Obi-Wan has a son. And, according to Master Eo, very strong with the Force is he."  
  
"Well, the ancients know, we desperately need more Jedi."  
  
"Humph," was all Yoda said.  
  
"Is that all that's happened?"  
  
Yoda hesitated in answering Windu. He had listened to Eo's dispassionate recital of how Obi-Wan had called upon the dark side of the Force to bring the spirit of the young woman who had borne his child and who, apparently, he desperately loved, back from the abyss, and how it was young Skywalker who had saved his master.  
  
A chill had run down Yoda's spine at how close they had come to losing Kenobi, but he was heartened to hear that the Jedi Knight appeared mostly untouched from his experience, except for some minor physical manifestations. Eo had also gone on to say that although the woman's life had been spared by Obi-Wan's intervention, she was still in danger of dying.  
  
Then Eo had hesitated, and Yoda had sensed the embarrassment in the holographic image of the Quarren as he told Yoda he had encouraged Obi-Wan to go in search of his former master, Sinja-Bau, for only she had the knowledge to cure the young woman. When Yoda heard the name of the ex-Jedi Master, another chill had run down his spine, but not of fear. That had been a frisson of premonition, but whether of help or harm, he did not know.  
  
After instructing Eo to remain on Ahjane and look after the girl, Yoda had gone into a deep meditation, hoping to find answers to all that had occurred on Ahjane for it felt to him as if the ground beneath his feet had suddenly shifted, and all that he had thought he'd known was no longer valid.  
  
If was almost as if the Force, which Yoda perceived of as a great river running through the galaxy, had suddenly shifted course, found a new tributary and was now rushing headlong on a new path and towards a new destination. And everyone, Anakin, Obi-Wan, the young woman, Onara, their child, Ben, and the Jedi Order itself were all being swept along that river. But to what end?  
  
Yoda released a deep breath. He looked over at Mace who was patiently awaiting his answer. Never before had Yoda kept anything that concerned the Jedi and their future from Windu. But, until Yoda himself was more certain as to what was going on, his own counsel would he keep for the time being.  
  
"Master Windu, only this I can say. Master Obi-Wan and his padawan have not abandoned their duty. Serve the Force and the Jedi they still do. But..." and Yoda clasped his hands before him and gazed at the waterfall in front of him, its crystal clear water sending sprays of rainbow-colored mist into the air. "....another path for now they both must travel."  
  
Mace stared at Yoda and he could sense the human was not satisfied with the answer he had been given. But, knowing Yoda as he did, Mace also knew that, for the time being, that was all he was going to get. He nodded, then rising swiftly, stood and bowed.  
  
"Master Yoda," he intoned.  
  
Yoda inclined his head. Windu turned and strode across the grass and out of the greenhouse. Yoda watched him leave. Then, once he had disappeared, turned his attention to back to his green contemplations.  
  
-------------  
  
"Do you know any stories, Anakin?"  
  
Anakin, who had been watching the bees drifting lazing around the flowers in the garden, jumped and turned towards Onara. It had been a week since Obi-Wan had left, and during that time Onara's strength had waxed and waned. Today, however, was one of her better days.  
  
She had been strong enough to leave her room and come into the garden. The sun was shining although, since the clouds were thick and heavy, it was often hidden, but the air was still warm. However, Anakin sensed autumn was not far off. Having grown up on Tatooine, a planet that had had only one season, hot and dry, and having lived most of the last few years on Coruscant, a totally urbanized planet, he found the idea of seasons quite fascinating.  
  
Anakin looked around. Master Eo was in his guest room, meditating, but there were guards posted all about the garden, and Anakin saw the sentry droids diligently patrolling the area. Lady Tsara, so far, had not been found and no word of her had been heard. Anakin could only hope that whatever plan she was hatching to get her hands on Ben, it would take her awhile to formulate it. By then, with any luck, Obi-Wan would be back.  
  
"Well, do you?"  
  
Anakin drew his attention back to Onara. She was smiling at him, her dark eyes sparkling. But, she always looked like that when she was holding Ben. The baby was awake and gazing quietly up at his mother. Anakin had noted that whenever Onara was around, Ben's eyes never left her. No matter how much Anakin or K'lia or the aunts tried to get his attention, he never looked away from her.  
  
"Anakin. Are you listening to me?"  
  
"What? Oh, I'm sorry. I was just...thinking."  
  
Onara tilted her head. "You've been doing that a lot of late." Then her face softened. "You miss him. don't you?"  
  
Anakin looked at her for a moment, then nodded.  
  
"I've never been separated from him before." He shrugged. "It's funny. Sometimes, especially when he would scold me about something or point out some mistake I'd made, I'd want him to just go away and leave me alone. But now that he's gone..." Anakin stopped and lowered his head.  
  
"Don't feel bad, Anakin. Even those we love the most we don't always want to be around. But when they're gone...."  
  
Onara paused and Anakin heard the unshed tears in her voice. He looked up at her. Her eyes were sparkling, but now with her tears.  
  
"Don't, Onara," he said quickly. "Don't worry about him. He'll be fine. He will, trust me. Master Obi-Wan is one of the finest Jedi in the Order. Everyone says it. Why, he's...he's as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu," Anakin announced proudly.  
  
"Oh, yes," Onara said smiling as she quickly wiped away her tears. "Yoda, the small and wise, and Windu, the tall and powerful. Obi-Wan told me about them."  
  
Anakin grinned. "I suppose that's as good a way as any to describe them." Then his expression grew solemn. "But, really. Don't worry about Master Obi- Wan. We've been in worst fixes than this and, look," and Anakin gestured at himself. "I'm here to tell the tale."  
  
Onara laughed. "Speaking of, you didn't answer my question. Do you know any stories?"  
  
"No, I'm afraid I don't. But," and he grinned, "I may have the next best thing. Wait here."  
  
Anakin rose from his chair and raced to the room he and Obi-Wan had been sharing. He'd noted that his master had left his datapad. Anakin picked it up from the table and ran back to the garden with it. Onara, who had been singing to Ben, looked up as he approached. Anakin noted that, as usual, Ben kept his eyes on his mother.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Master Obi-Wan's datapad." Anakin turned it on. "He left it behind. I think he was in such a hurry he forgot it. Sometimes he downloads histories from the Archives at the Temple into it. He'd read them to me if we were on some particularly long transport. He always said that if I got bored sometimes I could read them myself even if he wasn't around. Some of the histories are actually pretty exciting. Especially the ones about the Great Sith War."  
  
"The Great Sith War?" Onara asked as she rubbed the tip of her nose against Ben's little snub one.  
  
Anakin nodded eagerly as he scrolled through the files. "Yes. Exar Kun had rallied his Brotherhood of the Sith against the Jedi Knights and..." Anakin's voice fell away.  
  
Onara looked away from Ben and over at Anakin.  
  
"And what? What's wrong?"  
  
Anakin swallowed. While searching through the files, he had come across one that had been bookmarked. When he saw the name Nomi Sunrider, knowing she had been one of the greatest Jedi Knights in history, he had assumed it was some historical record about her. But, as he read the words on the screen, his heart pounded in his chest.  
  
"Anakin, you're blushing like a new bride. What kind of history are you reading?" Onara asked teasingly.  
  
"It's not history," he said softly. "It's poetry."  
  
"Poetry?"  
  
Anakin nodded. "I think...it's love poetry. Love poetry written by Jedi."  
  
"Really?" Onara gasped. "Oh, do read it. I didn't know Jedi wrote love poetry."  
  
"Neither did I," Anakin said almost under his breath.  
  
For a moment, all he wanted to do was just turn the datapad off for he felt as if he had unknowingly stumbled across the most private of his master's thoughts. He looked over at Onara. She was smiling at him, encouraging him to go on. Then Anakin looked at Ben and his breath caught in his throat. Ben, who never, ever, looked away from Onara whenever she was around, was gazing at Anakin with those eyes so like his master and he was smiling too.  
  
Probably just gas, Anakin thought, but he noted Ben's blue-gray eyes seemed to light up as if he and Anakin were sharing some private joke. Anakin smiled back at Ben and, taking it as a sign that it was okay to read the poetry to Onara, looked back down at the screen.  
  
"Do you want me to read them all?" Anakin asked.  
  
Onara settled back against the chaise lounge, her shoulders digging dip into the pillows heaped behind her. She drew Ben closer to her. The baby turned away from Anakin and went back to gazing up at his mother.  
  
"Yes," she said softly. "Read them all."  
  
To be continued.... 


	22. Part Twenty-Two

First Knight - Part Twenty-Two  
  
-----------------  
  
As Obi-Wan nursed his drink, some vile concoction that was as dark and as thick as the air in this dive, he kept his eyes on the door. He was sitting near the rear of the tavern, but the entrance was in full view. His back was to the wall, but he would have been a fool not to have situated himself any other way in this hive of scum and villainy. He sensed that just about everyone in the tavern was either a thief, murderer, smuggler, spice- dealer, gambler, or hustler.  
  
Obi-Wan grimaced as he lifted his glass to his lips, both from the taste of the swill inside it and from the fact his contact had chosen such a place for their meeting. It had taken Obi-Wan a week to make his way from Ahjane, which was on the other side of the galaxy, to Lianna. The industrial planet was located in the Tion Cluster, which was outside the boundaries of the Republic. He had now been on Lianna three days, waiting for his promised meeting with the man Dex had sworn could help him.  
  
Obi-Wan lowered his glass and pushed it away. It was still three-quarters full. He couldn't make himself drink anymore of it. He had only purchased the drink to help himself blend in. He was still wearing the black outfit Onara's aunts had given him, but he had left the cape in the ship. It had been far too elegant for such a place and would have drawn the wrong kind of attention. He had his lightsaber, however, but it was hidden under his tunic.  
  
"Drink not to ya liking?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked away from the door. The barmaid, a heavy-set human female with stringy, greasy-looking hair, was standing to his left. She scowled down at him.  
  
"I've had better," he replied.  
  
"Humph!" the woman snorted as she snatched the drink off the table with a huge hand.  
  
Some of its contents spilled onto the already sticky, grimy table. She placed it on a tray, already crowded with drinks, and stomped off into the smoky darkness of the tavern. Obi-Wan watched her leave. Then he turned his attention back to the door.  
  
While on his way to Lianna, Obi-Wan had contacted Dexter Jettster. Dex had proven to be a reliable source of information to Obi-Wan over the years. Although currently the owner and chief cook of Dexter's Diner back on Coruscant, the four-armed, hulking Besalisk had formerly ran guns, tended bar, worked on expeditionary oil-harvesting crews and spent a good amount of his life brawling in bars, taverns and cantinas that stretched across the galaxy from the Ssi-Ruuk Cluster to the Corporate Sector.  
  
Obi-Wan had first met Dex on Ord Sigatt, an Outer Rim mining world. Dex had been on the wrong side of the law at the time, but had taken a liking to Obi-Wan and thus began a friendship that had strengthened as time had gone by. Therefore, when Obi-Wan had contacted Dex and asked for his help in finding Sinja-Bau, the Besalisk had not hesitated to give Obi-Wan the name of someone on Lianna who might be able to help him.  
  
The name had been Jareo. Dex told Obi-Wan that Jareo was an old drinking and running mate of his from way back. When Obi-Wan had asked if the man could be trusted, Dex had promptly said no, but any information Jareo gave Obi-Wan was sure to be reliable. Jareo knew everyone and everything that was happening on Lianna, and if Obi-Wan's insane, ex-Jedi master was there, Jareo would know. Dex had given Obi-Wan the contact information for Jareo and he had let Obi-Wan know he would send a message to him, indicating Obi- Wan was on his way, was a friend of Dex's and that Jareo should be on the lookout for him.  
  
Once he had landed on Lianna, after seeing that his ship was safely secured at the spaceport, Obi-Wan had found the nearest public comm station and sent a message to Jareo. No one had answered the message. A computer had acknowledged receipt of it and then, a few minutes later, a place, a time and a date had scrolled across the comm station's screen.  
  
Obi-Wan recalled how his heart had sank when he saw the time and date for the meeting was three days hence, but he knew that without some help there was no way he was going to find Sinja-Bau on a planet as densely populated as Lianna.  
  
Despondent, but determined not to be disheartened, Obi-Wan had found himself some small, cheap but clean lodgings. He had then spent those three days in meditation and exercise, ending each night with his gaze fastened on the pendant which contained the holographic image of Onara and Ben. How little time he'd had to spend with his newborn son and, he was painfully aware, how little time was left to Onara.  
  
Now, it was not only the day, it was the place for the meeting, but no one had yet contacted him. However, Obi-Wan also had no idea what this Jareo person looked like. Dex had said he was human, but there were quite a few humans in the tavern and none of them had given Obi-Wan more than a passing glance. He could only hope Jareo had captured his image from the comm station and would recognize him.  
  
"Ya, thrice-cursed, cheating slarg! Why, I oughta gut ya right here and now!  
  
Obi-Wan glanced over at the source of that shout. He had noted when he'd entered the tavern that it had a sabacc table and, like all sabacc tables in all the millions of such places in the galaxy, was crowded. He hadn't paid any attention to the players, but he saw that one of them, a Gamorrean, had risen from the table and was the one who had shouted. All the other players had gotten up from the table and were looking at the object of the Gamorrean's anger.  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. The Gamorrean was staring down a female Codru-Ji. Obi-Wan had only come across a few in his lifetime. Codru-Ji were from the planet Munto Codru. As adults they appeared simply to be attractive, four- armed humanoids, but they were actually born as canines known as wrywulves. As wyrwulves they moved about on six legs, but upon puberty cocooned themselves and emerged from their blue chrysalis as full grown, adult humanoids who just happened to have four arms.  
  
The female Codru-Ji at the sabacc table was a fine example of one of her species. Tall and lithe, she wore a skin-tight dark blue body suit that not only showed off her figure, but revealed she was in excellent shape. Her four arms were slender, but muscular and Obi-Wan could see her legs were not only long, but strong-looking.  
  
"Who ya calling a cheat?" the Codru-Ji screeched.  
  
Since her species normally talked in high-pitched whistles and sighs, her voice was quite high and the Basic she spoke sounded more like a drawn out scream that actual words.  
  
"You! I'm calling you a cheat, ya four-armed slarg!" the Gamorrean bellowed.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head. He hoped his contact arrived before things got hairy. If the authorities showed up, there was a good chance they'd not only stop whatever altercation had brewed, but shut the whole place down and, possibly, cart everyone who was in the tavern away to lock- up. Obi-Wan had found that most law enforcement agents who operated outside the Republic believed in arresting everyone in sight and sorting out the perpetrators, victims and innocent bystanders later.  
  
As he looked around, he noted some of the patrons were apparently familiar with the practice of mass arrests, for they were already rising from their tables and heading for the door. The vast majority, however, as Obi-Wan was not surprised to see, were gathering around the Gamorrean and the Codru-Ji female, spoiling not only to see a fight, but possibly join in.  
  
Then, as Obi-Wan had feared, the Gamorrean, with an earth-shattering roar, leapt across the table toward the Codru-Ji. Drinks shattered on the floor, the sabacc table tipped over, and screams ripped through air as patrons scrambled to get out of the way. Obi-Wan was far enough away from the melee that the wave of fleeing customers was heading away from him. He remained at his table, hoping that the fight would soon be over. He did not want to be forced to leave the tavern before Jareo showed up.  
  
As he watched the Gamorrean and the Codru-Ji struggling, although the Gamorrean was much heavier, the Codru-Ji, with her four arms, was holding her own. The two grappled on the floor with the Gamorrean trying as hard as he could to wrap his thick hands about the female's slender throat. Although Obi-Wan could see the Codru-Ji was a very adept and able brawler, he still didn't like to see a male fighting with a female, even if she fought like a Kryliksian wild-cat. However, he hesitated to get involved. He needed to be here when Jareo showed up. Onara's life depended on it.  
  
The Codru-Ji now had her legs and two of her arms wrapped about the Gamorrean's chest. With a loud, ear-splitting cry, she twisted her body and threw him to the side. He crashed into a table. A Nikto and Rodian, who had been sitting at the table, were tossed to the floor. The Codru-Ji leapt to her feet, her four hands raised before her.  
  
The Gamorrean shot up from the floor and ran back towards the female, roaring as he did so. However, he was now joined by the Nikto, who Obi-Wan recognized as a Kajain'saNikto or Red Nikto, and the Rodian.  
  
Obi-Wan quickly rose from his table. Although he knew he was risking not meeting his contact, he could not stand by and watch a woman take on three male attackers. He ran over to where the Codru-Ji was standing. As the Gamorrean once again plowed into her, Obi-Wan intercepted both the Nikto and the Rodian. He leapt up and kicked the Nikto in the chest.  
  
The alien flew backwards, landing near the bar. Obi-Wan whirled about, his other leg outstretched and clipped the Rodian across his green snout. The Rodian screamed and fell to his knees. The Nikto, who had regained his feet, ran howling towards Obi-Wan, swinging at the Jedi.  
  
Obi-Wan ducked, then punched the Nikto in the stomach. The Nikto grunted and swung at Obi-Wan again. Obi-Wan easily avoided his blows, which only enraged the alien. He made as if to grab a blade that Obi-Wan saw was attached to his belt.  
  
Obi-Wan was tempted to use to the Force to grab the blade, but he wanted to avoid doing anything that would identify him as a Jedi since he wasn't officially on Jedi business. Instead, as the Rodian reached for the blade, Obi-Wan took hold of his arm and flipped the Rodian over his shoulder. He soared through the air, crashing into a table which was, fortunately, empty of customers.  
  
As Obi-Wan turned to see how the Codru-Ji female was doing, he heard the sound of a blaster rifle being fired. He reeled around. A fat, dark-skinned man with long, yellow hair was standing in the middle of the tavern, a blaster-rife in his hand.  
  
"All right, that's enough," he said lazily. "Ya all had ya fun. Now, get out of here, the lot of ya, before I call the blues."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at the Codru-Ji woman. She was standing, breathing heavily. She had the Gamorrean in a headlock, all four of her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. The Nikto and Rodian rose slowly to their feet, rubbing at sore backs and heads.  
  
"That's right," the tavern owner said as he gestured with his rifle. "Just get up and get out. Now! Or the lot of ya can spend the night in lock-up."  
  
"What about my winnings?" the Codru-Ji female cried as she released the Gamorrean.  
  
"Ya can pick 'em up in the morning," the owner told her.  
  
"Nah, nah, she don't deserve 'em. She cheated I tells ya," The Gamorrean shouted.  
  
"Stop by in the morning. We'll sort it out then. But for now, I want ya all out of here."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. Great, he thought. He turned and followed the rest of the brawlers out of the tavern and onto the street. The tavern owner followed them, making sure they left his establishment. He then slammed the tavern door shut behind them.  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at the others. The Rodian and Nikto were already making their way down the dark street, but they kept throwing glances over their shoulders as they walked away. The Gamorrean made as if to start up with the woman again, but Obi-Wan stepped in front of him.  
  
He glared down at Obi-Wan with his piggish red eyes. Then, with a loud, spongy snort, stepped back and turned, waddling away in the opposite direction from the Rodian and Nikto.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Obi-Wan turned. The Codru-Ji female was smiling at him, her violet eyes seeming to glow in the dark.  
  
"You're pretty good in a fight," she went on.  
  
Obi-Wan had to struggle to squelch down his frustration. For all he knew Jareo could have come in during the fight and was, even now, waiting inside for him. He had to find out. He couldn't afford to waste anymore time trying to find the man. Just as he was about to open the tavern door, he felt the woman's hand on his arm.  
  
"I wouldn't do that."  
  
"I have to get back inside."  
  
"Teb will call the blues on ya. He warn't jokin'. Ever been in lock-up?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Trust me. It ain't a place ya want to be. Especially ya being a stranger and all."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned at her. "How do you know I'm a stranger?"  
  
"Cause ya helped me," she said grinning.  
  
Obi-Wan was tempted to tell her that if he had it all to do again, he wouldn't have helped her. By the sly look in her eyes and face, she probably had been cheating at sabacc.  
  
"I was waiting for someone," he told her tightly. "He might be in there."  
  
"You step one foot through that door and Teb will have the blues on ya so quick, ya won't have time to blink."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. He turned and looked around. He supposed he could find some place to stand and wait. If Jareo was inside, after he'd discovered that Obi-Wan wasn't in the tavern, he'd have to come out. And if he hadn't arrived yet, Obi-Wan could wait outside for him to show up.  
  
"Hey, would ya mind walking me home?"  
  
Obi-Wan turned and stared at the woman. "What?"  
  
"Walk me home. I'm afraid those thugs might try and jump me."  
  
Obi-Wan looked around. The streets near the tavern were deserted. "I think you'll be fine. They've all appeared to have gone."  
  
"But they might be waiting somewhere. Hidin' or somethin'." She reached over and grabbed Obi-Wan's arm with all four of her hands. "Please. I could maybe handle one, but not all three"  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't. I'm waiting for someone. It's very important that I meet him. And I really don't think they're waiting for you. You'll be fine."  
  
"How can ya be sure? I don't live far." She pointed to a street that lay east of the tavern. "It won't take long, I promise ya."  
  
She squeezed his arm. Obi-Wan took in and released a deep breath. The woman truly did appear frightened. And she was right. For all he knew her attackers could be somewhere waiting for her. Obi-Wan would never forgive himself if he had let her go home alone and found out later that she had been beaten or, worse, murdered.  
  
"All right. But we have to hurry."  
  
"Sure, sure, no problem. Just this way. It's not far."  
  
She turned and made her way down the street she had indicated. Soon they arrived in front of a nondescript building that looked no different than the other hulking, dark buildings that were clustered along the streets.  
  
"You live here?" Obi-Wan asked dubiously.  
  
The woman nodded. Then she reached over to him. Two of her arms slid up and around his neck, while the other two slipped around his back. She pulled him to her.  
  
"Now, why don't ya come in and let me reward ya properly," she whispered, her face inches from his.  
  
Obi-Wan struggled to get out of her embrace.  
  
"That won't be necessary. You'll home now, safe and sound. And I have to get back to the tavern."  
  
The Codru-Ji woman pulled him tighter against her.  
  
"I promise," she said, her lips moving towards his, "I'll make it worth yar while."  
  
Obi-Wan reached up and grabbed the woman's arms from about his neck, but she still had him hard about the waist. When he undid one pair of arms, she quickly put the other pair around him.  
  
"Don't you want me?" she asked coyly. "Ever been with a Codru-Ji female?"  
  
"No, I don't, and no, I haven't, and I'm sorry, but I'm not interested," he said curtly.  
  
The woman stared at him for a moment, then abruptly released him. Obi-Wan adjusted his clothing, then bowed to the woman. As he turned to go back to the tavern, he heard her call out to him.  
  
"Yar wasting your time going back there, Obi-Wan Kenobi."  
  
Obi-Wan jumped. He quickly turned around and stared at the woman.  
  
"Jareo's not at the tavern," she went on.  
  
Obi-Wan moved back over to her. "How do you know my name? And do you know he's not there?"  
  
The woman smiled at him. She opened the door of the building. Obi-Wan saw a long, dark hallway stretching away from the entrance. She gestured with her shoulder at the door.  
  
"Cause he's in there. Waitin' for ya."  
  
Obi-Wan stared at the woman.  
  
"Ya can trust me," she said nodding. "Dex told us ya was comin'. So ya going in or not?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked at her for a moment, then entered the building. The woman followed, closing the door behind them.  
  
"Just keep walking. Ya'll see a light soon."  
  
Obi-Wan did as she instructed and, as she had promised, a light did appear in the gloom. Obi-Wan followed it and it soon become a glow-lamp set high in a wall. The glow lap lit up a small room in which was a table and a few chairs.  
  
Inside it, much to Obi-Wan's surprise, was the Gamorrean, the Nikto and the Rodian who had been involved in the brawl at the tavern. However, before he could say or do anything, a heavy-set human male with a long black beard, equally long hair, streaked with gray and widely-set dark green eyes, who had been sitting at the table, rose from it and walked over to him.  
  
"Welcome, Obi-Wan Kenobi. My name is Jareo. I believe you've been looking for me."  
  
To be continued.... 


	23. Part Twenty-Three

First Knight - Part Twenty-Three  
  
--------------  
  
Lady Tsara had cursed herself all during dinner for not having worn something more elegant. If she had known that Jerule's guest was going to be a man of such importance and, in addition, so attractive, she would have worn something more appropriate. Now, as she sat in Jerule's drawing room, having after dinner drinks with him and Count Dooku, she tried to sit in her chair in such a way that her best side was to the Count.  
  
When Tsara had received the invitation from Jerule to dine at his home she had, initially, been surprised. The invite had come only a few days after the banquet at which Edress had publicly humiliated her. Tsara had not even had a chance to contact Jerule herself and speak to him of her plans. Therefore, she had eagerly accepted the invitation and, she had noted, Edress had been quite happy to see her go.  
  
However, upon arriving at Jerule's manor, she was surprised to discover she was not the only guest. A tall, striking, white-haired man dressed in dark, rich clothing was also present. Jerule had introduced him as Count Dooku of Serenno.  
  
Tsara, who had been bred to notice such things, observed that Jerule was very obsequious in the presence of the Count. Tsara decided, therefore, to greet the Count as an equal. She held out her withered hand for him to kiss. She noted that he hesitated for a moment, then took her hand and brushed his lips across the back of it.  
  
They had then gone into dinner and during it Tsara had learned that, not only was the Count very wealthy and powerful, master as he was of his family's fortune, but he was currently spearheading a political movement to create a separate galactic government, free from the corruption of the Republic. He was visiting systems all through the Republic and rallying them to his cause.  
  
Tsara had listened, hardly conscious of her food, as the Count, in his deep, powerful voice, had laid out his plans for the Confederacy of Independent Systems. More and more systems, he had told her and Jerule, were joining everyday. He had come to Ahjane, he told them, to see if perhaps the citizens of this world would be interested in joining.  
  
Although Tsara had been spellbound by the Count, the fact that he had chosen to contact someone like Jerule, who not only wasn't a Dynast, but wasn't even of noble birth, had struck her not only as wrong, but rude. Once dinner was over and the three had retired to the drawing room, she was hoping the Count would now see fit to explain why he had contacted a nobody like Jerule for such an important matter.  
  
As Tsara settled into her plush chair and took the glass of brandy the servant offered her, the Count and Jerule sat in chairs opposite hers. Once the servant had given the other two their brandies he left the room, closing the door behind him. Count Dooku looked over at Tsara.  
  
"Lady Tsara?"  
  
"Yes, Count?"  
  
"Although this is not meant as a disparagement to Master Jerule, you are the real reason I have come to Ahjane."  
  
"Me?" she said coyly.  
  
The Count nodded. "I have heard much about you. I believe you to be a woman not only of strength and nobility, but of intelligence and fortitude."  
  
"You have heard correctly," Tsara said proudly, lifting her chins.  
  
The Count smiled and folded his long-fingered hands before him.  
  
"However, Master Jerule has informed me that you have recently been the victim of a grave and, I believe, most unjust misfortune."  
  
Tsara's face hardened. "Yes," she hissed through gritted teeth. "I have."  
  
The Count shook his head as he clucked his tongue sympathetically. "Banished from your home. And by your own son. Such a pity."  
  
Tsara was surprised to feel tears stinging her eyes. She quickly blinked them away.  
  
"Yes," she whispered thickly, her blood singing with anger. "By my own son."  
  
"And for what?" the Count went on smoothly. "For wanting to ensure that your family and your province prosper as it is meant to? That you and yours achieve the prominence and status you are destined for?"  
  
The Count again shook his head, his dark eyes locked onto hers. Tsara could hardly contain the emotions that were roiling in her chest. Finally, someone who understood. K'lia had treated her like some common criminal, when all she had desired was for her family to rule this planet as she believed the gods had intended for them to do.  
  
Tsara's husband, who had been Dynast before K'lia, had been weak and too engrossed in his books and scrolls to grasp the destiny that Tsara had constantly urged him to take hold of. Then, when K'lia was born, she had hoped her son would be the one to bring about that glorious destiny she had long dreamed of. But, like his father, K'lia had been weak and vacillating. Always looking to compromise and find a peaceable way out of any situation.  
  
Why, if it hadn't been for Tsara, K'lia would have tried to find some peaceful means of dealing with the attacks and incursions into their province by Edress's forces. Peaceful means that would have, more than likely, led to K'lia giving up so much in the way of concessions to ensure the peace, their province would have been diminished, if not wiped out entirely.  
  
Instead, at Tsara's urging, they had gone to war but, weak as he was and unable to stand the suffering of his people, K'lia had finally turned to the Republic, which he so fervently believed in, and asked for help. The Senate, in answer to his plea, had sent the two Jedi and, as part of the peace accord they had negotiated, Onara had been given in marriage to Edress. And Tsara had finally saw her chance to achieve her dream. That someone of her blood would rule this world.  
  
Now, all her plans had come to naught. She did not have her great-grandson, his blood pulsing with the power of the Jedi, to shape and to mold in her image. She did not even have a home. She was powerless and she hated it.  
  
"I feel your pain, Lady Tsara," Dooku said quietly.  
  
Tsara, who had been brooding into the fire, turned her head sharply and looked at him. The Count's dark eyes, so mesmerizing, so compelling, seemed to be drawing her in, deeper and deeper into a place where power was not something to be restrained or controlled by rules and policy and the niceties of civilized behavior, but released and let loose, allowed to run free, like a dark, raging storm, rushing through the galaxy, sweeping away the weak and the feeble and leaving only the strong and the powerful to rule as they saw fit.  
  
"I can help you," he went on, his voice as smooth and hard and dark as ebony. "I can help you both."  
  
Tsara managed to tear her eyes away from the Count's. She glanced over at Jerule. He was sitting up, his attention focused entirely on the Count. She saw that he felt it too, the power that was emanating from the man. It was like a flame, but a flame that gave no light, only heat. A heat that enflamed the passions, but not the passions of love and desire, but of ambition and power.  
  
"How?" Tsara managed to say despite the tightening in her chest, for she could hardly contain her excitement.  
  
The past days had been nothing for her but the bitter taste of failure and humiliation but now, finally, she felt hope. Hope that not only would she snatch victory from the jaws of her defeat, but she would also achieve her now rabid taste for revenge. Revenge not only against K'lia for having banished her, but against that Skywalker brat for having uncovered her plot.  
  
"First you must tell me what you want," the Count said. "Both of you."  
  
"I want my great-grandson," Tsara said quickly. "He wouldn't even be here if it weren't for me."  
  
The Count nodded. "Go on."  
  
"I want to return to my province. I want...K'lia gone. I want my great- grandson to be installed as Dynast, with me as regent until he is of age."  
  
The Count gestured for her to continue.  
  
"And I want Skywalker dead."  
  
Tsara was surprised to see the Count's eyes narrowing at her last words. He stared at her for a moment, then turned to Jerule.  
  
"And what do you want?" he asked.  
  
"I want Edress's province."  
  
The Count looked over at Tsara. "You are currently a guest of Dynast Edress, Lady Tsara. Do you have any objections to Jerule's desire?"  
  
Tsara smiled wickedly. "Absolutely no objections whatsoever."  
  
"Excellent." The Count turned back to Jerule. "And if you had the province and were its ruler, what would you do?"  
  
Jerule looked over at Tsara.  
  
"I would help Lady Tsara regain what is rightfully hers," he said without hesitation.  
  
"And what would you ask of the Lady Tsara?"  
  
"Onara."  
  
Tsara's eyes widened. "What? Onara is dying, Jerule. You can't--"  
  
The Count raised one elegant hand, silencing her. "I understand the young lady is dying from midi-chlorian poisoning. Correct?"  
  
Tsara nodded. "That Jedi freak of a physician said nothing could be done to save her. Although, it appears Kenobi has gone on a fool's errand to find some mad ex-Jedi healer who supposedly can save her."  
  
"Sinja-Bau," the Count said, his voice low and thoughtful.  
  
"You know her?" Tsara asked.  
  
The Count stared at her for a moment, his dark eyes impenetrable.  
  
"I know of her. But, as for your granddaughter, I am privy to a means by which she could be saved. However, this particular procedure, unlike the one Sinja-Bau, if found, would perform on her, would leave your granddaughter not quite herself."  
  
Tsara frowned. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I know of someone, very powerful and well-versed in what could be called the darker arts of healing. He could cure her but afterwards," and the Count shrugged, "not much, I'm afraid, would be left of her mind." The Count slid his eyes over at Jerule. "I suspect, however, that it is not the young lady's mind you are interested in, is it?"  
  
Jerule glanced between the Count and Tsara.  
  
"She wouldn't be some slobbering idiot, would she?" he asked.  
  
"Oh no," the Count quickly assured him. "She would only be more...docile, obedient. She would have no will of her own and there would be nothing..."and the Count leaned forward and fixed Jerule with a licentious look,..."nothing you could not ask of her that she would not do."  
  
Jerule's eyes lit up with a burning light and he licked his lips. He looked over at Tsara.  
  
"Onara," he said eagerly. "That is all I would ask of you."  
  
Tsara nodded in agreement. She folded her hands in her lap and looked over at the Count.  
  
"And if you do help us, Count Dooku, what do you want out of it?"  
  
The Count laughed. "Ah, you are a woman after my own heart, Lady Tsara."  
  
Tsara felt a blush on her withered cheeks.  
  
"Very well," he went on. "If you and Jerule are successful in achieving your goals, I would ask only three things of you. First, once you and Jerule have become the rulers of your respective provinces, you are to work to ensure that Ahjane breaks away from the Republic and joins the Confederacy of Independent systems."  
  
Tsara nodded. She was hoping to do that anyway.  
  
"Second," the Count went on. "that you allow your great-grandson to receive some special training."  
  
Tsara's eyes narrowed. "Special training? What kind of special training?"  
  
"Lady Tsara, your great-grandson is no ordinary child. He is Force sensitive. And his father is no ordinary Jedi. He is Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the strongest Jedi in the Order. The child will, more than like, have inherited his father's gift with the Force. This training that I speak of would hone and refine that gift and ensure that your great-grandson grows up to be a master of men, both powerful and feared. Isn't that what you want?"  
  
Tsara nodded eagerly. "Yes, I want him to rule Ahjane someday."  
  
"And he will. As a result of the training I speak of, he will not only rule, he will dominate this world."  
  
"And the third thing?" Tsara asked.  
  
"In the carrying out of your plans, Skywalker is not to be harmed."  
  
"What?" Tsara cried.  
  
She was so shocked at the Count's words that she sprang from her chair, her glass falling onto the floor, the brandy spilling and staining the carpet.  
  
"He is guarding the child, correct?" the Count inquired.  
  
"Yes, but---"  
  
"Do what you must to acquire your great-grandson, get back your province and see that Jerule has possession of the girl, but Skywalker is not to be harmed in any way. Understood?"  
  
"But...but...he...I..." Tsara sputtered as she clenched her hands. "Why is he to be spared?"  
  
"That is none of your concern," the Count said sharply, his voice flaying her like a whip.  
  
Tsara bit her lip. Her need to see Skywalker suffer for what he'd done to her was like a fever in her brain.  
  
"I understand your need for revenge, Lady Tsara," the Count went on, "but the boy is not to be harmed. If he is, I can assure you that what you have suffered so far will be as nothing compared to what I would do to you."  
  
Tsara swallowed heavily and nodded. "But what about the other Jedi? The freak and Kenobi if he returns."  
  
"They are no concern of mine, but the boy, Skywalker, is not to be harmed. However, I would suggest you expedite your plans so that you have achieved your objectives before Kenobi returns."  
  
"But, if he does return and discovers what we've done----"  
  
"Knight Kenobi is currently operating without the authority of either the Senate or the Jedi Council. Once you have accomplished your goals, they can not be interfered with. Especially by some rouge Jedi. What happens on your world is an internal matter, Lady Tsara. The law is on your side."  
  
"But Onara has only a month," she protested. "Kenobi will try to get back as soon as he can. That doesn't give us much time."  
  
"Then in that case," the Count said with a smile that Tsara noted didn't reach those dark, burning eyes, "we'd best set your plans in motion as quickly as possibly."  
  
To be continued... 


	24. Part Twenty-Four

First Knight - Part Twenty-Four  
  
---------------  
  
"Anakin!"  
  
Anakin reeled around from where he had been staring out the window of Onara's bedchamber. He looked over at her bed. Onara, who had been holding Ben as she liked to do every morning, was shaking wildly, her skin deathly pale, sweat streaming down her face. Anakin saw she was so weak she could hardly hold Ben. He ran over and quickly grabbed the baby before she dropped him.  
  
"Onara, what's wrong?" he cried.  
  
Onara collapsed back onto her pillows, her chest rising and falling rapidly.  
  
"I...I don't know. Oh, Anakin, help me."  
  
Anakin turned, Ben still in his arms, and raced for the door. He opened it.  
  
"You!" he barked at one of the two guards stationed in the sitting room. "Master Eo. Get him. Hurry! He's in the garden."  
  
The guard nodded and ran out of the sitting room. Anakin gestured with his head to the other guard, indicating he should follow Anakin back into Onara's bedchamber. As they entered the bedchamber, he handed Ben over to the guard who awkwardly took the baby. He then hurried over to Onara. Her head was tossing back and forth on the bed, her dark hair flying about her face.  
  
"Onara," Anakin said softly as he sat next to her and took her gently in his arms. She was shaking so hard he could barely hold her.  
  
"What's wrong? What can I do to help?"  
  
But Onara either couldn't hear him or was unable to answer. Her eyes had rolled up into her head and low moans were slipping from between her trembling lips as she continued to jerk in his arms. Anakin held her tighter. Where was Master Eo? He glanced over at the guard who was holding Ben. The man's dark eyes were wide as he looked over at them. Then Anakin saw Ben was staring at Onara, his blue-gray eyes locked on his mother.  
  
"Blast it, man!" Anakin cried. "Turn around. Don't let him see her like this."  
  
The guard nodded and turned around, his back to Anakin and Onara. Anakin was aware that Ben, as a newborn, was still too young to really understand what was happening, but there seemed to be a connection between the baby and his mother unlike any he had seen before; therefore, he didn't want to take any chances.  
  
Onara continued to twitch violently in Anakin's arms. Then he looked up, relief flooding through him, as Master Eo ran into the room, his healer's robes flapping.  
  
"What happened?" the Quarren asked as he moved next to Anakin.  
  
"I don't know, Master," Anakin said as he moved to let Eo tend to Onara. "She was fine, then all of a sudden she was like this."  
  
Anakin watched as Eo placed his suction-fingered hands along the side of Onara's head. After a few moments, she stopped her frantic shaking. Her breathing slowed and her eyelids dropped over her eyes.  
  
"Is she all right?"  
  
Eo didn't answer him. He reached into his robes and pulled out a slender medipad. He consulted it as he ran it over Onara's body. Anakin turned to the guard.  
  
"I'll take him," he said.  
  
The guard gently handed Ben to Anakin.  
  
"You can go now," Anakin said as he adjusted Ben in his arms.  
  
"Will milady be all right?" the guard asked, his face creased with worry.  
  
"I hope so," Anakin said softly.  
  
The guard inclined his head, turned and left the room. As Eo continued to minister to Onara, Anakin did as the guard had done and turned his back to the bed, not wanting Ben to see Onara in such a state. However, the baby kept moving his head as if trying to see around Anakin. Finally, his movements became so desperate, Anakin turned back towards the bed. Ben immediately quieted once he saw his mother.  
  
"How is she, Master?"  
  
Eo sighed. He closed his medipad and put it back into his robes. Anakin could see Onara was now sleeping. The healer rose from the bed and took Anakin's elbow, guiding him to the side of the room.  
  
"She's all right. For now," he said in a low voice.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"A systemic reaction to the midi-chlorian poisoning." Eo sighed. "I've sedated her. She'll sleep for the rest of the day."  
  
"We're running out of time, aren't we, Master?"  
  
Eo looked at Anakin, his turquoise-colored eyes unreadable. He gestured for Anakin to follow him over to some chairs that were set in a corner of the bedchamber. Anakin sat down and, as he did, Ben stirred in his arms. Anakin then noted the baby couldn't see the bed from where they were sitting. He scooted the chair around until the bed was in view. Ben settled down and gazed quietly over at his sleeping mother.  
  
"I will not lie to you, Anakin," Eo said, his voice still pitched low. "The chances of your master not only finding Sinja-Bau in time, but bringing her back and her even being competent enough to help Onara are miniscule at best."  
  
"But, I don't understand? If you knew that, why did you send him on such a hopeless quest. He could have stayed here and spent the last days of Onara's life with her."  
  
"Because I have known Obi-Wan Kenobi far longer than you, Padawan Skywalker," Eo said. "And he is not the kind of man to give up, no matter how hopeless the odds are. Yes, he could have remained here with Onara until she died, but he would have always tortured himself afterwards, and would have eventually convinced himself that if he had at least tried to save her, she would have lived."  
  
Anakin sighed. He looked down at Ben and was surprised to see he was staring up at him. He gave Ben his finger and the baby grasped it firmly, his tiny fingers locked around it.  
  
"You're right," Anakin admitted softly. He looked over at Eo. "Should we inform Dynast K'lia of what just happened with Onara?"  
  
Eo shook his head. "No. There's nothing he can do to help her and he has enough on his mind."  
  
Anakin nodded. The news that Edress had died the day before yesterday had shocked the household. No word had been forthcoming from Kindah province as to how the Dynast had died. All that was known was it had been sudden. Then, following immediately upon the news of his death was the announcement that Jerule, a friend of Edress's, had been designated as his heir, news which had much surprised K'lia and his sisters. They told Anakin that Edress had designated his nephew to be his heir if he were to die without male issue, but apparently, a few days prior to his death, Edress suddenly and inexplicably changed his will and named Jerule as his heir.  
  
Once Jerule was installed as Dynast, an event that one of Onara's aunts observed happened with almost obscene alacrity, he sent a message to K'lia demanding the return of Onara and her child to Kindah Province, stating that the peace accord between their two provinces was still to be honored, despite the change in leadership. Since the peace accord had included Onara being married to the Dynast of Kindah Province, and since Jerule was now said Dynast, Onara was his.  
  
K'lia, whom Anakin had noted had acquired a backbone of iron since the banishment of Lady Tsara, had fired back a message of his own, stating that Onara had married Edress, not the office of the Dynast. Therefore, she was not Jerule's and K'lia would not send her or her child to Kindah Province. With Edress's death, Onara was now a widow. However, K'lia had gone on to say, if Jerule wished to renegotiate the terms of the peace accord, K'lia would be willing to do that, but Onara would no longer be a part of any settlements reached by the two parties.  
  
There had been no response yet from Kindah Province to K'lia's message, and that had filled Anakin with a sense of foreboding. In addition, although there had been no word since her banishment as to the whereabouts of Lady Tsara, everything that had happened in Kindah Province had her imprint on it. In order not to distress Onara, in light of her condition, K'lia and Eo had decided that none of these recent happenings would be relayed to her.  
  
Now, as Anakin took in and released a deep breath, he glanced down at Ben. The baby had gone back to gazing over at Onara. Anakin gently squeezed him, rocking him in his arms. Master Eo was staring thoughtfully out the window.  
  
"Master Eo?"  
  
"Yes, Padawan Skywalker?"  
  
"Why are you doing this? Why are you risking censure from the Council to help my master?"  
  
Eo looked over at Anakin. his face tentacles wriggling gently.  
  
"A long time ago his master saved my life."  
  
"Master Qui-Gon?"  
  
Eo nodded. "He never let me repay him for it. He didn't even take a thank you. By helping Obi-Wan, I am repaying that debt."  
  
"But, you could get in trouble."  
  
"I have been a Jedi for a long time, Padawan Skywalker. Getting in trouble doesn't concern me much anymore. But, it is for you and Obi-Wan that I fear the most. Your futures within the Jedi Order are being jeopardized."  
  
Anakin scoffed. "Humph, I don't much care if I get in trouble with the Council. But I worry about Master Obi-Wan. He believes so much in the Jedi Order."  
  
Master Eo nodded slowly.  
  
"That is true. Or perhaps," and he looked at Ben, then over at the sleeping Onara, "he has found something else to believe in."  
  
----------------  
  
Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to take Jareo's hand.  
  
"I don't like games," he said frowning, his voice tight.  
  
Jareo stopped in front of Obi-Wan, his hand still outstretched, a wide smile on his black-bearded face.  
  
"But I do, Master Kenobi. Come, come, don't be such a wet blanket. That's one of the problems with you Jedi. You take things far too seriously."  
  
"My mission is of a most serious nature. I don't have time to play."  
  
Jareo laughed. "Yes, yes, isn't everything you Jedi do of a most serious nature. Now, come, take my hand and let us be friends. I have decided I like you and I don't want to change my opinion."  
  
Obi-Wan reached over and took the man's hand. It was large and strong and reminded Obi-Wan for a moment of Qui-Gon's hand. Jareo squeezed his hand hard, then released it.  
  
"Now, let me introduce the cast of our little play," Jareo said. He pointed at the Codru-Ji female. "The lovely damsel in distress was Auna. In real life she's my pilot and a pretty good mechanic. But, who wouldn't be with all those hands."  
  
She bowed to Obi-Wan, a shrewd smile on her lovely face. Jareo turned to the Gamorrean, slapping him on his wide shoulders.  
  
"This big fellow is Ziab. Bodyguard and chef extraordinaire. Also, teller of tall tales, if you care to take the time to listen."  
  
The Gamorrean bowed slightly to Obi-Wan who returned it. Jareo gestured toward the red-fleshed, leathery-faced Nikto.  
  
"The one with the pretty face is Jole, communications and weapons expert, and the one still nursing his sore snout is Shon, my doer and obtainer of all things."  
  
The Rodian inclined his green, scaly head to Obi-Wan, wincing as he did so. Jareo turned back to Obi-Wan, his face still wreathed with a smile.  
  
"Now that you've met my happy little band, what say we retire someplace more relaxing where we can drink and talk."  
  
"I don't mean to be rude, Master Jareo," Obi-Wan said firmly, unable to control his rising frustration, for every moment that passed was like the tolling of an ominous bell to him, "but I don't have time to relax or indulge in social amenities. I am operating under the most dire of time constraints. I have been three days waiting to hear from you. Three days I could ill afford to lose. This little deception of yours has cost me even more time. Dex said you could help me find the person I'm looking for. Can you?"  
  
For the first time since greeting Obi-Wan, the smile disappeared from Jareo's face. He stared at Obi-Wan for a long moment.  
  
"I am a businessman, Master Kenobi," Jareo said, his thick, black eyebrows drawn low over his green eyes, his voice hard and clipped and in total opposition to his good-natured joviality of a moment ago.  
  
"Dex told me to help you and to charge you nothing for my services," he went on. "However, that is not in my nature. When I give something, I expect to receive something in return. So, in lieu of money, I staged that little deception in the tavern. Partly for my entertainment and partly for another reason. Teb, the one who nearly took your head off with the blaster rifle? He's my partner. He recognized you as soon as you walked into the tavern."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned. "If that's true, why did you---"  
  
"Because I wanted to see what kind of man you are, Master Kenobi. Dex told me you were on some desperate mission. But, he also told me a rumor was circulating around Coruscant that some Jedi Knight had gone renegade. Dex likes you a lot, Master Kenobi. He wanted me to see if you were still yourself."  
  
Jareo gestured at the black outfit Obi-Wan was wearing. "Never seen one of you Jedi dressed that way."  
  
"I didn't want to be recognized as a Jedi," Obi-Wan said. He released a deep breath. "But, it is true. I'm not operating under the auspices of my Order."  
  
Jareo nodded. "Figured as much, but you're still a Jedi." He pointed over at Auna with his thumb. "You helped her, even at the risk of not making your contact. That says a lot. And not many men would have turned down a night with Auna."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. Jareo suddenly grinned and, turning, pointed to a vidscreen on his desk.  
  
"Security cams. Both outside my little warehouse and in the tavern. So, either you're still one of those priggish Jedi, or you've got something better waiting for you at home to have refused the comfort of Auna's delectable, and I must tell you from experience, most unique embrace."  
  
Jareo winked and the rest of the gang laughed in response. Obi-Wan swallowed, conscious of the pedant containing Onara's and Ben's images lying cool and heavy against his chest.  
  
"You know, you're pretty good in a fight, Master Kenobi," Jareo went on. "If you ever decide to leave the Jedi, I could use a man like you."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, but said nothing. The impatience he was feeling was like a spring uncoiling bit by bit in his body. It was taking all his willpower not to grab Jareo by the arms and shake him, demanding to know if he had any information about Sinja-Bau. Then Jareo put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and squeezed it.  
  
"Don't worry, Master Kenobi. I have the information you want. I know where Sinja-Bau is."  
  
--------  
  
As Dooku's ship sped away from Ahjane, he grimaced. He was sitting in the ornately decorated cabin of his solar sailer sipping a fine Corellian brandy. The brandy had reminded him of his first meeting with Jerule and Tsara. Amateurs, the both of them, he thought sneeringly. Nothing but a pair of pathetic amateurs. He hoped Master Sidious knew what he was doing in having asked him to leave Ahjane immediately and return to Coruscant.  
  
As his dark master had instructed, Dooku had assisted Tsara in her plan to eventually rule Ahjane through her great-grandson. Edress, like Jerule, had been easily impressed by Dooku's wealth and status and, therefore, arranging a private dinner with the Dynast had proven simple enough to achieve. Once alone with Edress, whose mind had been as weak and pliable as a Dulervian slug, Dooku had used voice manipulation to convince the man to change his will and name Jerule as his heir.  
  
Once that was completed, Dooku had given Tsara a poison that was both deadly and undetectable. A few credits slipped into the hands of one of the servants in the kitchen, said poison sprinkled over Edress' food and, in the blink of an eye, one dead Dynast. And, also, one hapless kitchen servant who just happened to have an untimely accident when she somehow managed to slip down some stairs and break her neck.  
  
However, before Dooku could continue with his assistance regarding Tsara's plan to get her hands on her great-grandson, Sidious had contacted him and requested he return immediately to Coruscant. Dooku had wondered aloud if perhaps it would be best if he remained and monitored the situation, but Sidious had told him their other work was of more importance. If the underlings on Ahjane failed, he had told Dooku, once their great work was accomplished, systems like Ahjane would have no choice but to become part of the new order or perish. And Jedi like Obi-Wan and his spawn would be of no consequence.  
  
Dooku raised his glass to his lips, the brandy sliding down his throat like a song. He hoped that wrinkled old crone heeded his warnings about Skywalker. He did not relish having to return to this backwater world in order to show her what true power was capable of if she dared disobey him.  
  
-----------------  
  
Having finally convinced Obi-Wan to at least take a seat, Jareo settled his bulk on the corner of his desk, his hands folded in front of his huge stomach.  
  
"Yeah, I know of your insane, ex-Jedi. She arrived on Lianna about three years ago. Spent most of her time in the city square, near the market area. Couldn't miss her. Striking woman, despite that wild-eyed look and those rags she was always wearing. Don't know how she lived, what she ate or even where she slept. She seemed to spend all of her time ranting and raving about how all of us were just tiny cells in the body of some galactic-sized creature she called the Boonooba."  
  
Shon, who was standing against the wall, snickered. Then, when he saw the look Jareo was giving him, the Rodian tried to cover his snout, crying out as he did so, for apparently it was still sore from Obi-Wan having kicked it. Jareo turned back to Obi-Wan.  
  
"Anyway, two years ago, her rants changed. She started raving about the end of the world. Or at least the end of the Republic. The fall of the Temple, the purge of the Jedi, the Mother of the Light, the Father of the Dark." Jareo shrugged. "Crazy stuff, but fascinating in a morbid kind of way."  
  
Obi-Wan shifted in his seat. "Jareo, this is all very interesting, but I--- ."  
  
"Just hear me out. You're going to need to know this if you hope to get her."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, but he was still terribly mindful of the passage of time.  
  
"Now, if her stuff about this Boonooba had been popular with the fringe crowd, this new stuff about the fall of the Republic was drawing them like flies to offal. And it drew the attention of someone that, well, you don't want to draw his kind of attention."  
  
"Who?" Obi-Wan asked, then noted that everyone in the room was exchanging anxious glances.  
  
"An Arkanian by the name of Douro."  
  
Obi-Wan had heard of the Arkanians. They were a near human species from the planet Arkana. The only thing that differentiated them from humans was their solid-white eyes, four-fingered clawed hands and their remarkable stamina. Another interesting thing about them was that their homeworld had once been a repository for ancient Sith knowledge.  
  
"Douro," Obi-Wan repeated.  
  
"And a nasty piece of work if ever there was one, Master Kenobi," Auna said, her long, pointed ears twitching.  
  
Jareo gave Obi-Wan a piecing look. "She's right. He's insane too, but in a different sort of way. He can still function in society, which makes him doubly dangerous."  
  
"What does he have to do with Sinja-Bau?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"He heard her one day, raving in the square. Douro's very superstitious. He's obsessed with prophecies, fortunetelling, that sort of thing. He thought Sinja-Bau was some kind of prophet. So he took her in and now she's his personal soothsayer."  
  
"Soothsayer?"  
  
Jareo shrugged. "That's what he calls her. She reads runes, cards, stones, the entrails of animals, anything he throws at her, she mumbles over it and he thinks it means something. Like I told you, he's nuts too. Anyway, she's been with him this past year."  
  
"Where are they now?"  
  
Jareo looked over at Auna. She gave him a guarded look, then shrugged her slender shoulders as if to say you'd better tell him. Jareo looked back at Obi-Wan.  
  
"They're on Toola."  
  
Obi-Wan felt as if he had been kicked in the chest. He was so certain Sinja- Bau was here on Lianna, within reach, and now to learn she wasn't even on planet. Jareo must have seen the despair in his face for he moved off the desk and stood in front of Obi-Wan.  
  
"Hey, look, I'm sorry. I said I knew where she was. I didn't say she was here."  
  
Obi-Wan lowered his head. He had to focus, clear his mind. Wallowing in his anguish wasn't going to help Onara. He raised his head.  
  
"How far away is Toola from here?"  
  
Auna came over and stood next to Jareo.  
  
"It's not far," she said. "It's an ice planet. Douro does ice harvesting there."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned. "Ice harvesting?"  
  
"Yeah, ya know, ya harvest the ice, take it to some hot, arid planet and sell the water. Douro goes to Toola about twice every solar cycle to do that."  
  
"And you're certain Sinja-Bau is with him?"  
  
Jareo nodded and raised his hand as if taking an oath.  
  
"I'll stake my life on it. He never goes anywhere without her."  
  
Obi-Wan stood and bowed to Jareo.  
  
"Thank you, Master Jareo, for your help."  
  
Just as he was turning to leave, Jareo grabbed his arm.  
  
"What kind of ship you flying?"  
  
Obi-Wan told him. Jareo pursed his lips.  
  
"I'll have Auna fly you to Toola. Her ship is faster and she'll know where Douro is doing his harvesting. And, well, it's the least I can do for having played that little trick on you."  
  
"Thank you, Master Jareo."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Auna.  
  
"Meet me at the starport at docking bay 429 in an hour," she told him.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. Jareo squeezed his arm.  
  
"Good luck, Master Kenobi. Be wary of Douro," he warned. "Your ex-Jedi might be crazy, but the Arkanian is deranged."  
  
"I will. And thanks again."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and made his way out of the warehouse, heading for his lodgings so he could collect his things and meet Auna at the starport.  
  
To be continued.... 


	25. Part Twenty-Five

First Knight - Part Twenty-Five  
  
----------------  
  
"So, what's her name?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Auna who was sitting in the pilot seat next to him. She had been waiting at the starport as she had promised. Her ship, though smaller than the one he had flown to Lianna, had a larger and more powerful engine. Once they were spacebourne, she had told him they'd make planetfall on Toola in about six hours.  
  
Obi-Wan, who hadn't realized how exhausted he was until he boarded Auna's ship, had been asleep for the past five of those six hours. Auna had given him the use of her cabin, after asking if he was absolutely sure he didn't want some company. He had thanked her for the offer, but kindly refused. After awakening and, feeling much better for the rest, he had joined Auna in the cockpit.  
  
"Who?" he asked.  
  
"The one ya got waiting at home."  
  
"What's makes you think I have, as you say, one waiting at home?"  
  
Auna shook her head and laughed. "Because, Master Kenobi, I can smell a woman on a man at a hundred meters."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned at her. Auna laughed again.  
  
"I don't mean literally. I can see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. I know when a man's in love."  
  
"Really" Obi-Wan said dryly as he looked out the window of her ship, hoping she would soon drop the subject.  
  
"I thought love was forbidden to the Jedi?"  
  
He sighed and looked over at her. "If by love you mean romantic love, it is not forbidden. It is just not encouraged."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"A Jedi's life is not an easy one. One must commit oneself totally, both mind and body, to the path of becoming a Jedi Knight. Padawans.." he stopped when he saw her puzzled expression.  
  
"Those of our Order who have not yet achieved the status of knighthood," he explained. "Padawans are forbidden from marrying or from having romantic liaisons for it is believed, and rightly so, that such passions will distract them from their path to enlightenment in the Force."  
  
"Hmmm," Auna said, nodding slowly. "I see. At least I think I see. So, what happens after ya become a Knight? Can ya have a girlfriend then?"  
  
Obi-Wan smiled slightly. "It is not forbidden to become romantically involved with someone once one has become a Knight, but it is generally not encouraged."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked hard at her. "You asked me that before. I thought I answered it. Because a Jedi's life is a hard one."  
  
Auna shook her head. "Sorry, but that just don't cut it."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
She gave him a shrewd look. "It's just an excuse, and a pretty poor one if ya ask me."  
  
"I don't understand---"  
  
"A Jedi's life is a hard one," she said in a mocking tone. "Sheesh, everybody's life is a hard one, Master Kenobi, unless yar rich or dead." She shook her head. "Ya think I've had an easy life? Huh? Do ya?"  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head no.  
  
"Yar darn right, I haven't," Auna said, her violet eyes blazing in her lovely face, her pointed ears twitching angrily. "But, just because I've had it hard, it don't mean I'm going to go through life alone, ya know what I mean? Don't mean I'm not going to open my heart to someone or let someone open their heart to me."  
  
She shook her head again. "Pah, what a load of mynock crap! A Jedi's life is a hard life! Pah! If ya ask me, a Jedi's life ain't a hard life, it's just an empty one, and I feel sorry for the lot of ya."  
  
Obi-Wan sat in silence for a moment. He reached inside his tunic and pulled out the pedant K'lia had given him.  
  
"What's that?" Auna asked.  
  
Obi-Wan didn't answer. He opened the pendant and pressed the bottom. The tiny holographic image of Onara and Ben appeared in the air. Auna's eyes widened.  
  
"Oh, look at the wee one," she said. "Ain't he a little darling. Is that his mother?"  
  
"Yes," Obi-Wan replied, his throat so tight he could barely get the word out.  
  
As he looked at the image of Onara, her dark eyes sparkling, her lips stretched in a wide smile as she held their son, she seemed to gaze out at him warmly, as if to let him know she had faith in him and that he would not fail her or Ben.  
  
"Who are they?" Then Auna's eyes widened even more. "Oh, is she...?"  
  
"Yes, she is."  
  
"And is he....yar son?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And the reason yar out here looking for Sinja-Bau has to do with them?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "Her name is Onara. She's dying. Sinja-Bau is the only one who can save her."  
  
"Oh, stars, why didn't ya say something, Master Kenobi!" Auna hit the control panel of her ship with her fist. "Jareo and his stupid games! I swear, if we had known we wouldn't have---"  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. He closed the pendant and slipped it back under his tunic.  
  
"What's done is done," he told Auna. "All that matters now is my finding Sinja-Bau as quickly as possible."  
  
"Well, don't ya worry, Master Kenobi," Auna said, nodding her head fiercely. "We'll find her." Then she shook her head as she gazed admiringly over at him. "Stars, who would've thought? A Jedi Knight on a quest to save his lady love. Wait 'till I tell Ziab. This might be worthy of a tale!"  
  
-----------  
  
Obi-Wan looked out the window as Auna piloted her ship over the barren, white landscape that was Toola. He had never been to this planet, but he knew it was home to a species known as the Whiphids. Huge, massive creatures with long, yellow-white or golden fur, they had prominent, hairless faces, exaggerated cheekbones and foreheads, two large tusks that protruded from their lower jaws and huge arms with three-fingered hands that ended in sharp claws. Some of them had left their homeworld and were often employed as bounty hunters, hunting guides and bodyguards throughout the galaxy.  
  
"Auna."  
  
"Hmmm," she replied, her gaze fastened outside the window.  
  
"Have you had any dealings with the Whiphids?"  
  
Auna snorted. "Dealings? What do ya mean by dealings?"  
  
"Have you interacted with them? Had cause to come into contact with them?"  
  
"Oh, I though you meant something else. Yeah, sure, a couple of times, whenever Jareo feels the need, which ain't too often, to come to this ball of ice."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And what?"  
  
"Are they friendly? Hostile?"  
  
Auna tilted her head. "Hmmm, well that depends."  
  
"Depends on what?"  
  
"Well, the Whiphids love nothin' better than a good hunt. They'll track a prey for days and days. Their favorite prey is the mastmots. And their favorite way to kill them, and mind ya, these mastmots are huge beasties, is with their bare hands and tusks. But, they ain't shy about using weapons, though it's mostly spears, sabers and clubs."  
  
"I see. But you didn't answer my question."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Well, despite the way they look and all, they're pretty easygoing. As long as ya don't bother them, they don't bother ya. And they do take care to figure out, on first meeting ya, if yar prey or not."  
  
"And how do they do that?"  
  
"Well, if ya talk and ya seem to be pretty good company, they won't eat ya."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "That sounds reasonable."  
  
"And they never eat children."  
  
"Glad to hear that," he said dryly.  
  
Auna looked over at him and grinned. "But, I don't think we'll be running into any Whiphids."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Douro messed with a few of them last time he was here. Let's say there ain't no love lost between them."  
  
"Messed with them? How?"  
  
"Well, he hired some of them to crew his ship last time he was here ice harvesting. Took them off planet, bought them back and refused to pay them. The Whiphids attacked his base camp and killed a few of his men. So, Douro, well, he...".  
  
Auna looked over at him, her eyes sick, "...before he left Toola he wiped out one of the Whiphid camps. Killed a bunch of them, including women and children. Nasty business. And, well, like anybody who's sane, the Whiphids set great store by their women and young ones."  
  
Obi-Wan felt a chill go down his spine, partly because he wasn't looking forward to trying to get Sinja-Bau away from such a man, and partly because he couldn't imagine what he would do if someone were to kill Onara and Ben.  
  
"Anyway," Auna said, breaking into his thoughts, "if Douro is smart, he's keeping as far away from the Whiphids as he can."  
  
"You don't sound like you think that's what he's doing."  
  
Auna, her four hands busily working the controls of her ship, looked over at him.  
  
"Remember what Jareo told ya about Douro, Master Kenobi. He's crazy. Crazy don't mean smart. Let's hope for ya sake and mine that he's just here to get his ice and leave. Because if he's stirred those Whiphids up again...."  
  
Auna stopped and looked away from him. Obi-Wan understood. It was going to be hard enough dealing with Douro; they didn't need an angry tribe of Whiphids involved. He looked at her sensors.  
  
"Are you sure you know where he's harvesting?"  
  
Auna nodded. "Douro's superstitious, like Jareo said. He always does his harvesting in the same area. Thinks it brings him luck."  
  
She pointed out the window towards what Obi-Wan could see was a line of ice- crusted ridges jutting out of the ground.  
  
"He should be camped near that line of glaciers. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."  
  
Obi-Wan felt his body tensing and immediately made himself relax. He would need all his wits about him if he was going to be successful in getting Sinja-Bau away from Douro. He just hoped that despite all the ominous warnings from both Jareo and Auna about the Arkanian's irrationality, Obi- Wan would be able to accomplish his goal without any violence or, worse, bloodshed. Suddenly, a claxon went off in the ship.  
  
"Flark," Auna hissed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"A weapons lock. Somebody's got a weapons lock on the ship."  
  
Obi-Wan looked out the window. He could see nothing in that blinding expanse of white. He looked back at Auna. Her face was tight as her four hands flew over the controls.  
  
"Hold on," she cried.  
  
The ship rocked from a blast to their port side. Auna skewed the ship to the right. Obi-Wan grabbed the arm rests of his seat. Auna then veered to the left. Another blast shook the ship.  
  
"Flark, I can't shake the lock!"  
  
Obi-Wan was about to suggest something for her to try, when he felt and heard an explosion from the back of the ship. As Auna frantically tried to keep the ship level, Obi-Wan watched through the window as the ground rushed towards them.  
  
To be continued.... 


	26. Part Twenty-Six

First Knight - Part Twenty-Six  
  
---------------  
  
Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on his back, so the first thing he noted was that instead of the metal ceiling of Auna's ship, he was looking up at what appeared to be animal skins. The second thing was that his head was hurting and so was his left shoulder. The third was that when he tried to move his hands, he found he couldn't. He looked down his body. Both his hands and ankles were tied securely with white ropes which were as thick around as his wrists.  
  
Obi-Wan turned his head to the side. As he had suspected he was in a tent made entirely out of animal skins. He could hear the wind whipping against the hides of which the walls were made and, although the edges of the tent were tied down securely, bits of snow and cold puffs of air whished inside. He turned his head to the left, hoping to see some sign of Auna, but all he saw was some bedding, a few wooden crates and some spears and clubs stacked in a pile. He apparently was in some kind of storage tent.  
  
Ignoring the pounding in his head, Obi-Wan tried to free himself from the ropes, but not only were they the thickest ropes he had ever seen, they were tied in such a way it was wonder the blood hadn't stopped circulating in his feet and hands. Mustering his strength he rolled onto his left side, hoping to somehow get his hands on his lightsaber which was attached to his belt under his tunic, but just as he had feared, his lightsaber was gone. As Obi-Wan lay on his side catching his breath, he wondered if Auna was all right. When the ship had crashed, the last thing he remembered was a blinding light, intense pain, then blackness.  
  
Considering his surroundings, he could only assume a band of Whiphids had come across the crash site and brought him, and he hoped, Auna to their camp. Obi-Wan rolled onto his back and, just as he did, the flap to the tent opened and a Whiphid ducked down and entered.  
  
The creature was over two meters tall and wore only a leather strap upon which he carried a large crudely made saber. Obi-Wan assumed that with his thick fat and natural insulation, he didn't need to wear much else. The Whiphid walked over and stared down at him for a moment. Obi-Wan cleared his throat, realizing that, along with his throbbing headache, he was terribly thirsty.  
  
"My names is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Can you tell me what happened to the woman that was with me? You found us at the crash site, correct? Is she all right?"  
  
The Whiphid tilted his head as he continued to stare down at Obi-Wan. His eyes were long and black but almost hidden by the skin surrounding them. Probably useful protection, Obi-Wan surmised, against the wind and the blinding light of the sun on the white landscape, but it made it difficult for him to detect whether the Whiphid was understanding him.  
  
Leaning over, the Whiphid grabbed Obi-Wan by the arm and, as if he weighed no more than a child, pulled him to his feet. Obi-Wan swayed dizzily for a bit, but the Whiphid's hold on his arm kept him from falling. With a hard jerk, the creature pulled Obi-Wan along, dragging him, actually, since Obi- Wan could not walk as his ankles were securely bound.  
  
Once outside, Obi-Wan was buffeted by the harsh, cold wind. It was daylight and, since it hadn't felt as if much time had passed since the crash, he assumed it was still the same day. He was wearing only his black outfit of tunic and pants, so the cold easily pierced through to his bones. He had brought the cape Onara's aunts had given him, but had not been wearing it when he and Auna crashed.  
  
The Whiphid dragged Obi-Wan over the ice and snow crusted ground. Looking around, the Jedi could see it was indeed a camp, comprised of about twenty tents of various sizes. The Whiphid was taking him to one of the larger ones. Lifting the heavy flap, the Whiphid ducked to enter the tent, pulling Obi-Wan in behind him.  
  
The inside of the tent was warm and dark and musty, in contrast to the blinding white and bitter cold outside. Smoke suffused the air and Obi-Wan could smell wet fur, sweat, oil and cooking meat. His stomach growled in response and he realized it had been some time since he'd last eaten. The tent was full of Whiphids, old and young, male and female. They were sitting on mats encircling the middle of the tent to which Obi-Wan was being dragged.  
  
Seated in the center was a Whiphid who, judging from his size, when he stood would tower over the Whiphid who had taken Obi-Wan from the storage tent. He was seated upon a wooden platform in a chair that looked as if it had been carved out of bone. Unlike the other Whiphids, he wore an elaborate headdress made out of bone, pieces of metal and, surprisingly, sprigs of tiny yellow flowers. His fur was sprinkled with gray and one of his jaw tusks was partially broken off.  
  
Obi-Wan was pushed to just before the edge of the platform. The Whiphid who had brought him from the storage tent then put his huge paw on Obi-Wan's shoulder and pushed until Obi-Wan finally got the message. He folded his legs and let himself fall to his knees.  
  
For awhile there was only silence in the tent, punctuated by the crackling of the various torches situated about the huge tent, the creaking of the hides as the wind assailed the walls of the tent and the occasional coughing and snorting of the assembled Whiphids. All Obi-Wan's senses and training told him it would be best if he waited until he was spoken to.  
  
Finally, the chief, for that was whom Obi-Wan assumed the headdress- bedecked Whiphid was, spoke. However, he was speaking in his native language and, not only did Obi-Wan not understand it, he was without his translator. It, along with his other things, was in Auna's ship.  
  
The chief spoke for a bit, his huge arms gesturing sometimes toward Obi- Wan, other times at the crowd. At one point doing his speech, the Whiphids, as one, let out a bone-chilling cry that sounded to Obi-Wan both like a lament and a cry to war. When that cry died away, the chief then pointed at Obi-Wan, his body language clearly accusing Obi-Wan of something.  
  
I have a bad feeling about this, Obi-Wan thought. The chief was now silent, but he was still pointing and glaring at Obi-Wan as if waiting for a response. Obi-Wan again cleared his throat. What he wouldn't give for some water.  
  
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi," he began. "My companion and I were attacked and our ship crashed as a result. I am grateful you found us and saw fit to bring us here. However, I have yet to see my companion. Is she all right? Is she here?"  
  
The chief lowered his hand and stared at Obi-Wan. Then he gestured to his side. A Whiphid detached himself from the crowd and moved in front of the platform. The chief spoke to the Whiphid, whom Obi-Wan noted was not as large or as heavy as the others. The Whiphid bowed to the chief, then turned to Obi-Wan.  
  
"My name Zaka," the Whiphid said in halting Basic.  
  
Obi-Wan let loose a sigh of relief.  
  
"Greetings, Zaka," Obi-Wan said quickly. "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."  
  
"Yes, heard you." He turned and pointed to the chief. "He name Big Yezun. He say you gonna die."  
  
Just as Obi-Wan was about to ask why he was about to die, he heard a strident, but familiar, voice.  
  
"Take ya hairy hands off me, ya thrice-cursed spawn of the devil!"  
  
Turning, Obi-Wan saw, much to his relief, Auna being dragged into the tent by a Whiphid. Unlike him she was not tied up, but he saw that one of her four arms was wrapped with a bandage. She didn't look none the worse for wear, however, except for a bruise on her right cheek. The Whiphid pulled her, kicking and screaming, to the platform. It was then that she saw Obi- Wan.  
  
"Master Kenobi!  
  
Auna wrenched her arm from her Whiphid guard and ran over to where he was kneeling before the platform.  
  
"You're alive, thank the gods!" she cried.  
  
"It's good to see you, too, Auna. Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm all right, Master Kenobi. As right as can be considering the situation."  
  
She turned and glared up at the platform upon which Big Yezun was sitting.  
  
"What's wrong with ya, ya big furry oaf? Why ya got him trussed up like a Republic Day feast-bird?"  
  
"Auna," Obi-Wan said, trying to draw her attention away from the Whiphid chieftain. Although he knew Big Yezun didn't understand a word of what she was saying, the tone of her voice and her facial expression were clear enough.  
  
"Do you know what happened?" he asked her. "What about the ship?"  
  
Auna continued to glare up at Big Yezun who only gazed curiously down at her. Then she turned and looked at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Believe it or not, it was these idiots who shot us down."  
  
"What? The Whiphids?"  
  
Auna nodded. "I was knocked out when we crashed, but ya must of hit ya head harder than me. When I came to, these furry boneheads was crawling all over my ship. They pulled ya out and tied ya up like that. I told them to leave ya alone, but they wouldn't listen."  
  
"Auna, I don't understand. Why did they shoot us down?"  
  
Before Auna could answer, however, the Whiphid who called himself Zaka stepped forward. He pointed at Obi-Wan.  
  
"You White Eyes man. White Eyes ship. We," and Zaka pointed around at the gathered Whiphids, "shoot ship down with weapon we took from White Eyes. Kill you same way you kill us."  
  
Now Obi-Wan understood. They thought he was working for the man they knew as White Eyes, apparently their name for Douro since, like all Arkanians, he had solid white eyes.  
  
"Ya idiot," Auna spat. "He ain't killed nobody. He don't work for Douro."  
  
"Auna," Obi-Wan called to her, fearful her explosive temper was only going to make a bad situation worse. She looked over at him.  
  
"If they thought we were in one of Douro's ship," he asked, trying to distract her, "why aren't you tied up?"  
  
"Cause I'm a woman, a life-bearer. They don't kill life-bearers. Course, it don't mean they trust me either. They took away my weapons, that's for sure."  
  
"Was your arm hurt badly?" Obi-Wan asked, looking at the bandage around her right lower arm.  
  
Auna glanced at it and shrugged. "Just sprained. It swelled up a bit, but there was also a cut on it. They put some foul-smelling yellow crap on it, but it healed the cut right up."  
  
"Well, that was kind of them," Obi-Wan said and gave her a warm smile, hoping it would calm her down.  
  
It seemed to work, for the rage that had bloated her face suddenly vanished. He was even surprised to see a blush on her cheeks. She shook her head and gave him a coy grin.  
  
"Ah, stars, but don't ya got the killer smile on ya, Master Kenobi. That lady love of yours is sure lucky to wake up to that every morning. But, yar still in a mess, I'm afraid. I think they mean to kill ya as revenge for Douro's attack on one of their camps."  
  
"I gathered as much."  
  
Suddenly Big Yezun, who had been following Obi-Wan and Auna's conversation with a puzzled expression, roared in a great voice, raising his arms. Both Obi-Wan and Auna jumped at the sound and looked up at the enraged Whiphid chief. He looked down at Zaka and spoke to him quickly and harshly in their language. Zaka nodded and turned back to Obi-Wan.  
  
"Big Yezun, he want know," the Whiphid translator said. "You want die slow or you want die quick."  
  
"He don't want die at all, ya blockhead," Auna shouted. "Ya can't kill him. He didn't do nothing. He's a Jedi Knight, for space sake!"  
  
"Je-di?" Zaka asked, his long, black eyes widening.  
  
Auna advanced on him. "Yes, Jedi. Ya heard of them, right? Ya been out in the galaxy, ain't ya?. Jedi Knights. Keepers of the peace, protectors of the innocent. A Jedi would never kill defenseless women and children."  
  
Zaka turned and spoke quickly to Big Yezun. The two exchanged a series of questions and responses. Zaka then turned back to Auna and Obi-Wan.  
  
"How prove he Je-di?"  
  
"How prove?" Auna asked in amazement. "How prove? I don't have to how prove, ya hairy peabrain! I told ya, didn't I? He's a Jedi Knight, I tells ya, and if ya don't believe that, yar dumber than a---"  
  
"Auna," Obi-Wan said quickly, pitching his voice to get her attention for he could see she was getting riled up again.  
  
Auna whipped her head towards him, her violet eyes blazing.  
  
"My lightsaber," he said calmly, lifting his eyebrows.  
  
Auna stared at him for a moment, then her eyes lit up. She turned back to Zaka.  
  
"Where's his weapon?" she asked him.  
  
"His weapon?"  
  
"Yes, his weapon. The Jedi's weapon. The one he was wearing when ya brought him here."  
  
Zaka turned and spoke to Big Yezun. The Whiphid chief gestured to one of the Whiphids near the platform. He stepped forward and handed Obi-Wan's lightsaber to the chief who showed it to Zaka. He drew back and gave what Obi-Wan assumed was the Whiphid equivalent of a gasp. Auna nodded, grinning.  
  
"Recognize it, don't ya?"  
  
Zaka nodded, the expression on his face clearly one of awe. He turned to Big Yezun and spoke to the chief for a long time, pointing both at Obi-Wan and the lightsaber. Once Zaka was done, the chief hefted the lightsaber in his hand for a moment, his gaze fastened on Obi-Wan. Then, gesturing with the lightsaber, he spoke some quick, sharp words in his language.  
  
The Whiphid who had brought Obi-Wan into the tent pulled a knife from out of his strap. For a moment Obi-Wan tensed as he imagined that knife sinking into his flesh but, instead, the Whiphid used the knife to cut the ropes from around his hands and ankles. Once he was free, Obi-Wan rose from his knees, rubbing his wrists as he stamped his feet. Auna ran over and hugged him with her three good arms. He hugged her back, then turned and looked up at Big Yezun.  
  
"Thank you," he said, bowing deeply.  
  
Big Yezun inclined his head. He looked over at Zaka and spoke to him. Zaka nodded and, once Big Yezun was done, turned to Obi-Wan.  
  
"Big Yezun say he sorry. Sorry for shooting down Je-di ship. Sorry for almost killing Je-di. It true, four-armed life-bearer," he said to Auna. "I hear of Je-di when I out among the stars. Hear how Jedi help the weak, protect the life-bearers and their seedlings. But I no see his Je-di weapon." Zaka shrugged. "Not know he Je-di."  
  
"Humph, well, that's still no excuse for shooting down my ship," Auna growled.  
  
"Sorry shoot down ship, but thought ship belong White Eyes. Only White Eyes ships fly here."  
  
"I have heard of what Douro did to your people," Obi-Wan said to the Whiphid chief. He placed his hand over his heart. "And I grieve with you."  
  
Zaka translated Obi-Wan's words. Big Yezun nodded, but Obi-Wan noted the chief still had possession of his lightsaber. Now, Obi-Wan thought, here comes the delicate part. It was apparent the Whiphids were on some kind of blood quest and were killing anyone they thought was associated with Douro, the very person Obi-Wan needed to get to. He wondered if there was a way he and Auna could get away from the Whiphids without them finding out what their eventual destination was. Then he heard Auna's voice and he groaned.  
  
"Well, we was on our way to see White Eyes, and if ya hadn't shot my ship down, we'd be there by now." She pointed to Obi-Wan. "It's important he get to White Eyes' camp as soon as possible. So, where's my ship? What have ya done to it?"  
  
Zaka translated Auna's words to Big Yezun. The Whiphid chief gestured angrily at Obi-Wan with his lightsaber. Obi-Wan looked over at Auna and hoped she could see in his eyes that if the two of them were suddenly alone, he would now have his hands wrapped about her lovely neck. Her eyes widened and she blushed, apparently having understood what she'd just done by talking before she thought. Obi-Wan turned away from her and looked at Zaka as he waited for the Whiphid chief to stop speaking.  
  
"Big Yezun ask why Je-di, protector of innocents, want go see White Eyes, killer of innocents?"  
  
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. As he moved a step closer to the platform, he reached over and pinched Auna on her arm, signaling that from now on she was to remain quiet. Auna cried out softly as he did so, but he saw out of the corner of his eye her nodding at him.  
  
"Tell Big Yezun," Obi-Wan began, "that I go to see White Eyes because one of mine, a Jedi, is with him. It is important that I see her. She was...is a great healer, and I am in desperate need of her help."  
  
Obi-Wan then took a chance. Based upon what Auna had told him earlier, that the Whiphids set great story by their women and children, he reached inside his tunic and pulled out the holo-pendant. He opened it and pressed the bottom. Onara and Ben's image appeared over it. All the Whiphids, except Zaka, who was more than likely familiar with holographic technology, cried out.  
  
"I need her help to save this woman, this life-bearer," Obi-Wan said softly, and he was not surprised to hear his voice breaking a bit.  
  
Zaka turned and translated Obi-Wan's words to Big Yezun, who was leaning so far over the platform to look at the holographic image, his big, hairy head was nearly touching Obi-Wan's. Big Yezun then turned his head and spoke to Zaka. Once he was done, he sat back, gazing solemnly down at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Big Yezun, he ask, is little-flower your seedling?"  
  
"Little flower? Oh, the baby. Yes, he is my son. And the woman is his mother."  
  
"He want know, if you not get other Je-di from White Eyes, your life-bearer die?"  
  
Obi-Wan swallowed heavily. "Yes, she will die."  
  
Zaka turned and relayed Obi-Wan's answer to Big Yezun. The chief responded. Zaka looked back at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Big Yezun say he know like pain. He lost his life-bearer many turnings ago. Have also lost seedlings. No one such pain should have."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. Yes, he thought, no one such pain should have. He closed the pendant and slipped it back under his tunic. The chief spoke to Zaka for a long moment. Zaka nodded and turned back to Obi-Wan.  
  
"Big Yezun say your ship bad broke. Can not fly."  
  
Auna scoffed at that. Obi-Wan gave her a dark look.  
  
"But if Je-di willing," Zaka went on, "Big Yezun will give Je-di guide and sled to go to White Eyes' camp, get other Je-di and save his life-bearer."  
  
Obi-Wan bowed deeply. "Tell Big Yezun thank you and that I gladly accept his offer of a guide and transportation."  
  
Zaka turned and translated Obi-Wan's words to Big Yezun and, as he did, Obi- Wan felt Auna's hand on his arm. He turned and looked at her.  
  
"I'd liked to see for myself if my ship is bad broke," she said under her breath.  
  
"I'll see what I can do," Obi-Wan whispered back to her.  
  
Zaka turned back to them. "Big Yezun say you leave in the morning. Guide take you to White Eyes' camp."  
  
"Thank you," Obi-Wan replied, bowing again. He eyed his lightsaber which was in Big Yezun's lap. "I'd like to have my weapon back, with Big Yezun's permission, of course."  
  
Zaka turned and relayed Obi-Wan's request to the chief. Big Yezun spoke, his clawed hands now wrapped tightly about the lightsaber. Zaka turned and shook his head.  
  
"Big Yezun keep Je-di's weapon for now. Give Je-di weapon back in exchange."  
  
"Exchange? Exchange for what?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"Exchange for White Eyes' head."  
  
To be continued... 


	27. Part Twenty-Seven

Thanks again everyone for reading and responding to my little tale. :) Ummm, if you want to blame anyone for the following poem, blame me. I haven't written poetry in awhile, but thought I'd try to write one to give a sample of the poems Obi-Wan had been reading. :)  
  
First Knight - Part Twenty-Seven  
  
-----------  
  
Gentle are the eyes of my love,  
  
Though darkened by woe  
  
And bleak with sorrow.  
  
When he looks at me  
  
Both blessed and cursed am I.  
  
  
  
Tender are the hands of my love,  
  
Though roughened by strife  
  
And scarred by pain.  
  
When he touches me  
  
Both healed and wounded am I.  
  
  
  
Warm are the lips of my love  
  
Though hard with grief  
  
And bitter with anguish.  
  
When he kisses me  
  
Both found and lost am I.  
  
Anakin looked up from the datapad at Onara who was smiling warmly at him. As she was having one of her better days, she was sitting up in bed, the pillows heaped behind her back. Ben was in the nursery taking a nap. There had still been no word from Kindah Province in response to K'lia's refusal to hand Onara over to Jerule. Many around the manor had taken that as a good sign, but Anakin wasn't so optimistic.  
  
He was glad the Assembly guards were still assigned to the manor. Not that Anakin didn't think he was capable of handling matters on his own, but he didn't want to take any chances when to came to the safety of Onara and Ben. If anything were to happen to them, Anakin had convinced himself, Obi- Wan would never forgive him.  
  
"You read that beautifully, Anakin," Onara said, breaking into his thoughts. "It's almost as if the words had some special meaning for you."  
  
Anakin shrugged. "At first I didn't understand the poem. But, now..." and he shrugged again. "I think I see what Nomi is saying."  
  
"And what do you think she is saying?" Onara asked gently.  
  
Anakin pressed the datapad between his hands as he stared down at the screen.  
  
"Well, I think she's saying that love isn't just hearts and roses and moonlight. That it's rocks and thorns and storms and sometimes love is going to hurt you, badly, but you have to keep loving anyway."  
  
Then, fearful he'd got it wrong, he quickly looked up at Onara, his heart pounding. She stared at him for a long moment, her dark eyes thoughtful. Then she smiled and Anakin relaxed.  
  
"I think that's exactly what she was saying."  
  
Anakin smiled at her, dipping his head the way he did when he was embarrassed, but was too embarrassed to admit he was embarrassed.  
  
"If I didn't know better, Anakin," Onara said, her voice light and slightly teasing, "I'd think you were becoming something of a romantic. Keep that up and someday you're going to win the heart of some terribly lucky girl."  
  
Anakin shook his head, but he felt himself grinning like an idiot. He was about to tell her that Jedi were not allowed to fall in love, then realized how foolish it was going to sound in light of present circumstances. Instead, he looked back down at the datapad and, scrolling through the file of Obi-Wan's collection of Nomi Sunrider's poems, found another that Onara had deemed her favorite and read it to her.  
  
-------------  
  
Warm are the lips of my love  
  
Though hard with grief  
  
And bitter with anguish.  
  
When he kisses me  
  
Both found and lost am I.  
  
Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes, the last lines of Nomi Sunrider's poem, which he had been quietly reciting to himself, lingering in his mind like an echo. He was lying on his back on some warm, if somewhat smelly, layers of skins in a tent the Whiphids had given him and Auna to sleep in.  
  
At first Obi-Wan had felt trepidation at sharing a tent with Auna, in light of the suggestive comments she had made towards him earlier. However, her attention had seemed to be focused more on her ship than on him. After the audience with Big Yezun, he and Auna, after being given some animal hides to wrap themselves in, had been escorted to the crash site of the ship.  
  
Auna, after thoroughly inspecting it, had told Obi-Wan she was pretty sure she could repair the damage, but it was going to take a few days. The two had therefore agreed that Obi-Wan would go on to Douro's camp and Auna would stay behind and work on the ship.  
  
Now, as Obi-Wan stared at the top of the tent, he let himself finally release, for a time, his almost obsessive concentration on his goal of finding Sinja-Bau and allowed himself to drown in his longing for those he had left behind. He thought about Anakin and wondered how his Padawan was doing without him, hoping everything was all right with the boy. He thought about Onara, his breath quickening, his heart racing at the thought of how much he longed to look into her dark, winsome eyes, smell her sweet skin and feel her, once again in his arms, warm and soft.  
  
And he thought about Ben. Tears stung Obi-Wan's eyes. He'd only had a few days to spend with his son who, he suddenly realized, was already two weeks old. Which meant Obi-Wan had just under two weeks remaining before the month Healer Eo had given Onara to live was up. The fact that he was less than a day away from Sinja-Bau gave Obi-Wan some hope, but the situation surrounding that hope was dire.  
  
Having to deal with a man as ruthless and merciless as this Douro appeared to be and now being caught in the middle of a blood feud between the Arkanian and the Whiphids was not going to make Obi-Wan's task any easier.  
  
He reached inside his tunic and pulled out the pendant. He held it between his fingers, felt its smoothness and its warmth from having lain against his skin. Then, just as he was about to open it, the flap to the tent unfastened and Auna stomped inside.  
  
She was wrapped in the animal skins the Whiphids had given her and Obi-Wan to use as protection against the cold. Her head was also covered with what looked like the pelt of some small animal. Its long tail hung down the back of her head. Snow swirled in behind her, along with the wind, which kicked up the skins Obi-Wan was lying on. He sat up, slipping the pendant back under his tunic.  
  
"Flark, but it gets cold here at night," Auna grumbled.  
  
She walked over and knelt before the small fire Obi-Wan had built in the center of the tent. She held her hands before it, rubbing them hard.  
  
"Is your estimate of the repair time for the ship still the same?" he asked her.  
  
Auna nodded. "A few days. Should be no more than that. I'm going to have some of these lunkheads help me. Least they can do for having shot us down like that. I was pretty impressed by the number of tools they've managed to steal from Douro's camp."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded as he turned his head and gazed over at the fire. Auna gave him a sharp-eyed look.  
  
"Master Kenobi?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Ya given any thought to what yar going to do once you get to Douro's camp?"  
  
Obi-Wan continued to stare at the fire for a moment. Then he looked over at her.  
  
"I still have hope I can accomplish my goal without having to inflict any harm or injury to anyone."  
  
Auna blew out a hard breath and clucked her tongue.  
  
"Yar dreaming, Master Kenobi. If ya want Sinja-Bau, something tells me yar probably going to have to inflict some harm or injury. Maybe quite a bit."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head, but did not answer. He did not want to confess he was beginning to feel the same way.  
  
"And what about Big Yezun? He's not going to give ya yar weapon back unless he gets Douro's head."  
  
"I will not get involved in this blood dispute between Douro and the Whiphids."  
  
"But what about yar weapon?"  
  
"A lightsaber can always be replaced. A life can not."  
  
"Nah, I mean, you're a Jedi. How are ya going to function without your weapon?"  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. "It is true that we Jedi look upon our lightsabers as more than just a weapon. It is a symbol of our Order and of our commitment to the Force. We construct them while in the deepest of meditations. It is, you could say, our life."  
  
Auna nodded, although Obi-Wan could see by her eyes she didn't really understand what he was taking about.  
  
"Yes, that's what I mean," she said. "It's your life. What if ya have to fight or something?"  
  
"I hope it doesn't come to that, Auna, but if it does, I have been trained to defend myself without my lightsaber, or any other kind of weapon."  
  
Auna shook her head as she took off the animals skins.  
  
"Master Kenboi, I ain't talking about defending. I'm talking about killing. And trust me, ya be doing a great favor to the universe if while you're getting Sinja-Bau, ya just happened to take Douro out and brought his head back to Big Yezun."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned, his mouth tight. "I came here for one thing and one thing only, Auna. To find Sinja-Bau and take her back so that she can, with hope, save Onara's life. I did not come here to murder. That is not the Jedi way."  
  
Auna, who had piled her animal skin coverings in a corner of the tent and was now laying out some pelts to sleep on, stopped and gave Obi-Wan another sharp-eyed look.  
  
"Master Kenobi, do ya love this woman?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at her. "What?"  
  
"Onara. Do ya love her?"  
  
"Yes, very much so."  
  
"And if ya had to murder to save her life, would ya?"  
  
Obi-Wan swallowed. He stared at Auna, his heart beating hard in his chest.  
  
"And if you had to murder to save ya darling wee one, would ya?" she went on, her violet eyes boring deep into hers.  
  
Obi-Wan stared back at her, but just as he was about to answer, Auna looked away from him, waving her hands in the air.  
  
"Nah, don't answer that. It wasn't a fair question. I know yar a Jedi. I know ya have to do the right thing."  
  
Obi-Wan watched as Auna laid herself on her bedding of pelts, pulling one of them over her as a blanket.  
  
"I guess that's probably why ya Jedi aren't allowed to fall in love, eh?" she said softly, her eyes slowly closing, the exhaustion he had sensed coming from her finally overwhelming her. "To have to pick between the way of the Jedi and the way of the heart. Can't be an easy choice for ya. Nope, not at all."  
  
Obi-Wan said nothing. He continued to sit, the crackling of the fire, the howling of the wind outside as it beat against the tent and soon, Auna's slow, even breathing as she slept, the only sounds filling the air in which the answer to her question still hung unspoken.  
  
----------  
  
Tsara clenched her fists as she stared at Jerule. Whatever possessed her to get involved with such an idiot! Were all the men on this planet fools! If only Count Dooku hadn't had to leave.  
  
"What did you think?" she hissed, as she paced back and forth in what used to be Edress's private chamber but was now Jerule's. "That K'lia was just going to hand Onara over to you?"  
  
Jerule, who was wearing one of Edress' formal Dynast robes, gave her a dark look, but said nothing. Tsara narrowed her eyes at him. He had followed the Count's advice speedily enough about how to quell the dissension that had arisen in Kindah Province when it was announced that Jerule and not Edress's nephew was going to rule as Dynast.  
  
A few public executions here, a number of arrests there, and most of the overt displays of dissent had quickly dissipated. Even Edress's nephew who, understandably, had been the most vocal, retreated quietly to his country estate when one of his most trusted advisers was found with this throat cut.  
  
Now, just like all the men in Tsara's life, except, of course, for Count Dooku, Jerule was becoming indecisive. He had yet to response to K'lia's refusal to give up Onara and her baby. He picked up a silver-handed letter opener from off the ornate desk and fidgeted with it.  
  
"The law is on my side," Jerule said hesitantly. "I have consulted with my legal advisers and they have informed me that I have a very strong case as it relates to Onara having been married to the position of Dynast and not to Edress himself."  
  
"Legal advisers," Tsara sneered. "Bah! K'lia will produce an equal number of highly esteemed legal advisers who will argue the complete opposite. And then where will you be."  
  
She walked over and stood in front of the desk, her face thrust angrily towards his.  
  
"We don't have time to wrangle this in the courts, Jerule. We have to accomplish our goals before Kenobi returns. He's been gone two weeks. He could return at any time, therefore we must move quickly."  
  
Jerule put the letter-opener down. He picked up a diamond-crystal paper weight and passed it nervously back and forth between his hands.  
  
"What do you suggest, Lady Tsara?"  
  
"Assemble your forces and move them to the border of K'lia's province."  
  
Jerule's face paled. "You want me to go to war?"  
  
"No, fool!" Tsara snapped. "Think, for once! K'lia has Assembly guards stationed at the manor guarding the baby. Once you move your troops, the Assembly will demand the return of the guards so that they can be sent, along with the rest of the military, to counter your aggressive stance. K'lia will have no choice but to obey the wishes of the Assembly. The manor will be defenseless."  
  
Jerule shook his head. "Not entirely defenseless, Tsara. The two Jedi will still be there. Along with the security droids."  
  
"Leave the security droids to me. As for the Jedi," and Tsara shrugged. "One's just a boy and the other is only a physician."  
  
"But they are Jedi," Jerule insisted.  
  
"So what if they are. Not even the much vaunted Jedi, I suspect, will be able to stand against the Red Tide."  
  
Jerule gasped, his eyes widening. "The Red Tide?"  
  
Tsara nodded. She put her hands on the desk and leaned towards Jerule.  
  
"You now have the money to hire them, Jerule."  
  
"But...but," he stammered. "They're the most deadly and feared mercenaries on Ahjane. It's even whispered they're not really human, but demons disguised as human."  
  
Tsara smiled. "So much the better. The Jedi are said to be more than human. If there is any group on Ahjane capable of defeating them, it would be the Red Tide."  
  
Jerule shook his head, the fear in his eyes clearly evident.  
  
"I'm not sure about this, Tsara. I think you go too far this time. I was hoping to get Onara without having to resort to such desperate and, I daresay, dangerous means. Moving troops to the border, hiring the Red Tide. It's more than I bargained for."  
  
As Tsara stared at Jerule it was all she could do not to slap him. Yes, she decided, she must be suffering under some vile curse to always have to deal with weak, spineless men. As soon as she got her hands on her great- grandson she was going to see that he received the training Count Dooku had offered, for if the boy grew up to be even half the man the Count was, he would be a most worthy ruler. He would not be weak. No, Tsara thought firmly, he would be strong and ruthless, the way a ruler should be.  
  
"Listen to me, Jerule, for I will not say this again," Tsara said in a low, deadly voice. "You will assemble your troops and move them to the border. You will hire the Red Tide and you will, from now on, do as I say. If not, I will see that Count Dooku is informed of your actions. Or shall I say lack of action in carrying out his commands."  
  
Tsara knew she was taking a chance for, although she was confident the Count had been very impressed with her and would, more than likely, back up whatever decisions she made, she was also not absolutely certain he would.  
  
However, Tsara had noted that not only had Jerule held Count Dooku in awe, he had clearly been afraid of him. When Tsara saw the terrified look on Jerule's face at her mentioning reporting his actions to the Count, she knew her gamble had paid off. Jerule nodded at her, his throat working.  
  
"I will do as you say, Lady Tsara. Yes, we must do as the Count instructed us."  
  
"That's better. Now, pick up your pen and take out a piece of paper and write your first directive as Dynast of Kindah Province. Order your generals to move their forces to the border. After that you will take out another piece of paper and you will instruct the treasury to provide me with the sum of 500,000 decales. The sum I will need to procure the services of the Red Tide."  
  
Jerule picked up the silver-cased pen and drew out two pieces of thick, ivory paper.  
  
"But, Lady Tsara, how will you contact the Red Tide? No one even knows who they are or where they are located."  
  
Tsara tilted her head as she watched Jerule write out his directive to the military.  
  
"Leave that to me," she said.  
  
--------------  
  
"Hello, Father."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at the young man who stood across from him in the chamber of a towering black edifice. The walls, the floors and the ceiling were all made of the same glimmering ebony upon which a blood-red light, eldritch and fey, its source seeming to be the very air itself, flickered and wavered. There was nothing in the chamber, whose roof seemed to stretch upwards to the heavens itself, except himself and the young man who stood before him.  
  
Obi-Wan stared at the man who had just addressed him as father, confusion wracking his brain. He had no idea how he how come to this place or why he was here. The man who faced him appeared to be about twenty, his face still boyish but the hard, sharp lines of adulthood clearly evident. He was dressed all in black, a lightsaber hanging at his side. There was a deep cleft in his strong chin, his lips were firm, but cruel, and his hair, which curled about his neck, was black as midnight. And the eyes. Obi-Wan gasped as he saw himself looking into his own blue-gray eyes.  
  
"Now do you recognize me, Father? It's been so long. I wasn't even a month old when you last saw me. Just a baby when you left me. When you left her."  
  
Obi-Wan's heart began to pound furiously in his chest. Then he noted that, although it felt as if he was in his body, there was a difference. He was heavier and he could feel a tightening in his muscles and in the joints. He glanced down at his hands and saw they were wrinkled and aged. He looked back up at the young man who smiled at him, but his smile was malicious and mocking.  
  
"Yes, you're old, Father. And, from the looks of you," and the young man's face twisted into a sneer, "it would appear time has not been good to you. By my calculation you should only be fifty-four, but you look decades older."  
  
As the young man spoke, he walked slowly around Obi-Wan, his black knee- high boots echoing softly about the cavernous room.  
  
"Has it been rough for you, Father?" the young man asked, his voice sarcastically polite. "Suffered much, have you? Oh, I do hope so. I hope you have suffered every day of every year of the last twenty years. I hope you have suffered as much as she did."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and watched as the man continued to circle him, like a predator examining its prey.  
  
"Ben? Is it you? I don't understand. What has happened?"  
  
"Don't call me that!" the man snarled. "That's not my name! My name is Malek. Lord Malek, ruler of Ahjane." Ben pointed at Obi-Wan. "Whereas you! You're nothing but a traitor!"  
  
Obi-Wan's heart thudded in his chest. "No, you're Ben. My son. Onara's son-- -"  
  
Ben struck Obi-Wan hard across the face. His head snapped back, blood pooling in his mouth.  
  
"How dare you speak her name! You who murdered her!"  
  
Obi-Wan shuddered as he swallowed his blood, but the thick iron taste was nothing compared to the anguish that lanced through his body at Ben's words.  
  
"Murdered her? No, I would never harm Onara. I would rather die then hurt her."  
  
Obi-Wan cried out, dropping to his knees, as Ben struck him across the face again, hitting him so hard he felt the teeth rattling in his head.  
  
"Yes, perhaps you would have rather died than hurt her," Ben said, his voice low and cold as he stared down at Obi-Wan. "But we'll never know that now, will we, since she's dead. Dead all these long years. However, dear Father, although you may have been willing to give up your life for her, you obviously did not see fit to give up your precious Jedi principles for her, did you?"  
  
Obi-Wan raised his face and looked up at his son, his heart twisting in his chest.  
  
"Ben, I swear, I don't know what you're talking about. Where is Onara? What has happened to her?"  
  
Ben raised his arms and head and screamed, his voice, tortured with both grief and anger, echoing through the dark chamber. Obi-Wan felt his blood run cold at the sound. Then Ben slowly lowered his head and arms, his blue- gray eyes burning with rage and torment as he stared down at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Why do you feign ignorance, Father? You know what you did. You chose the way of the Jedi over her life. Now look at you. You don't have her, you don't have the Jedi, you don't have anything."  
  
Ben reached down and grabbed Obi-Wan's chin. Squatting, he drew Obi-Wan's face close to his, the face in which Obi-Wan saw not only himself, but Onara.  
  
"You are nothing, Father," Ben went on in a harsh whisper. "Nothing. Now, tell me, why have you come to Ahjane? To seek forgiveness? I can assure you, you won't get it. No? Or perhaps you have come to save me. To rescue me from the dark side."  
  
Ben smiled wickedly and gripped Obi-Wan's chin. "You'll fail in that too, as you have failed in everything else."  
  
"Ben, I don't know what has happened," Obi-Wan said, his voice throbbing with both confusion and desperation. "I don't know how I have come to this time or to this place, but I do know that you are my son. You will always be my son, and I will always love you."  
  
Ben stared at Obi-Wan, then pushed him hard away and stood. As Obi-Wan looked up at his son, all he could sense from him was hatred and anger.  
  
"Love?" Ben snarled. "What do you know of love? You don't even know what the word means! You're just a pathetic old man. You claimed to have loved my birth mother, but when it came down to it, you chose yourself over her."  
  
"Ben, please, I don't understand. I would never choose myself over---"  
  
"Mother, what shall I do with him?" Ben suddenly called out, interrupting Obi-Wan's plea.  
  
A spark of hope fired in Obi-Wan's chest. Perhaps Ben had lied and Onara was still alive and she could help him understand this nightmare he had fallen into. He looked over as a woman walked towards him and Ben from the shadows of the chamber, her black robes flowing behind her, her wrinkled face burning with triumph.  
  
"What else should one do with a Jedi, my son," Lady Tsara. "Kill him."  
  
"As you wish, Mother."  
  
Ben turned back to Obi-Wan. He unclipped the lightsaber from the belt about his waist. Obi-Wan watched, his mind stuttering with horror, as a blood-red blade leapt from it. Ben raised the lightsaber above his head.  
  
"Goodbye, Father. May you rot in hell."  
  
The red blade fell towards Obi-Wan.  
  
"Ben, NO!"  
  
"Master Kenobi. Are ya all right?"  
  
Obi-Wan opened his eyes. Sweat was pouring down his face and chest and, for a moment, he didn't recognize his surroundings. Then he saw Auna's worried face peering down at him. She had been shaking him. He slowly sat up from the pelts he had been sleeping on and saw the hide walls of the tent, smelled the musty animal furs, and heard the wind whistling outside.  
  
"Were ya having a bad dream?" Auna asked, all four of her hands on his arms.  
  
Obi-Wan swallowed and nodded.  
  
"Yes, a bad dream" he gasped.  
  
"It must have been a rare one. Ya look as white as a ghost."  
  
Obi-Wan took in deep breaths of the cold air until his heart had stopped its mad beating.  
  
"I'm fine," he assured Auna.  
  
She looked at him closely for a moment. "Are ya sure?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure."  
  
Auna nodded and released his arms, rising and turning towards the fire.  
  
"Is it morning?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes. Early morning. Very early morning. These Whiphids are one for rising before the sun, I tells ya. I brought ya some breakfast," she said, handing him a stone bowl filled with what looked like orange mush.  
  
"It ain't much," she went on, "but it's filling, despite the way it looks. And smells," she added, wrinkling her nose.  
  
"Thank you, Auna," Obi-Wan said as he took the bowl.  
  
He dipped his fingers into the mush and tasted it. It was not disagreeable and, as he ate more of it, as Auna had said, it was quite filling.  
  
"Big Yezun said that when yar ready to go, ya can start out for Douro's camp."  
  
"Good," Obi-Wan said as he finished the mush.  
  
He made to get up, but Auna grabbed his arm.  
  
"Are ya sure yar up to this, Master Kenobi. Ya still look a mite shaky."  
  
"I'm fine, Auna. It was as you said. Just a dream."  
  
Auna nodded and let go of his arm. But, as Obi-Wan went about the tent gathering up his fur wrappings, he hoped with all his heart that it had been just a dream and not something else.  
  
To be continued.... 


	28. Part Twenty-Eight

First Knight - Part Twenty-Eight  
  
------------------  
  
Auna and Obi-Wan, both wrapped in their animal furs, made their way through the Whiphid camp. The wind, as always, was sharp and fierce and seemed to cut even through the thick layers of their wraps. The sun had just crested the horizon and its light was already turning the frigid landscape into a blinding white terrain of seemingly infinite vistas of ice and snow. The sky was a crystal clear blue and reminded Obi-Wan of the inside of a Eriusian vase.  
  
Auna was guiding Obi-Wan to where she had told him Big Yezun was waiting for them. The Whiphid chief, now seen at his full height, towered over the Whiphids who surrounded him, and none of them were less than 2 meters tall. They were gathered about what Obi-Wan could see was a repulsor snow-sled. Probably one of the items the Whiphids had stolen from Douro's camp.  
  
Stopping in front of Big Yezun, Obi-Wan bowed deeply. As he rose, he saw the Whiphid chief gesturing to the Whiphid translator from the day before. Zaka hurried over. The chief spoke to him. Zaka turned to Obi-Wan.  
  
"Big Yezun say you can take snow-sled, but must bring back."  
  
"I will, I promise."  
  
"He also say I go along as guide for you."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled. "I will be happy to have you as my guide, Zaka."  
  
Zaka quickly translated Obi-Wan's words to Big Yezun. The chief spoke some words to Zaka. He nodded and turned around.  
  
"Big Yezun say Je-di not forget. If Je-di want weapon back, Je-di bring back White Eyes head."  
  
Obi-Wan didn't respond to that. He merely looked at Big Yezun. Big Yezun stared back at Obi-Wan for a long moment; then, with his entourage surrounding him, left Obi-Wan, Auna and Zaka alone.  
  
"Well, I guess this is it, Master Kenobi," Auna said. "Umm, ya be careful, ya hear? Don't underestimate Douro. He's a mad one, but smart, so that means he's dangerous." Then she moved close to him and whispered in his ear, her eyes sliding over to Zaka. "Don't worry about ya lightsaber. I know ya don't want to have to kill nobody to get it back, so I'll see if I can filch it for ya."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Auna. Do nothing that could get you into trouble," he said in a low voice. "I'll worry about my lightsaber when I get back."  
  
Auna shrugged and stepped away from him. "If ya say so, Master Kenobi. I'll work on the ship so it'll be space-worthy when ya get back."  
  
"Thank you, Auna."  
  
She nodded and gave him a small smile. Moving towards the repulsor sled she picked up a bag and showed it to him.  
  
"They let me put in some stuff I bought from the ship. There's a pair of macrobinoculars in here, along with a medpac, a couple of extra energy cells, a vibroblade and a visor to keep the wind out of ya eyes."  
  
Obi-Wan went over and took the bag. "Thank you, Auna. I don't know how I will ever repay you."  
  
"Just get Sinja-Bau so ya can save your wee one's mother."  
  
"I will."  
  
Then, surprising even himself, Obi-Wan leaned over and kissed her cheek. It was cold from the wind, but he imagined his lips were just as cold. He pulled away. Auna looked at him for a moment, her cheeks red, but not just from the wind, her violet eyes full. Then she shook her head and pushed him away.  
  
"Ah, get out of here, will ya," she said grumpily. "Yar wasting daylight."  
  
She quickly turned away and, the wind tearing at her wrap of animal skins, marched over the snow and back into the interior of the camp. Obi-Wan watched her until she disappeared. He turned and looked at Zaka. The Whiphid was staring at him with his long black eyes.  
  
"Ready, Je-di?"  
  
"Yes, let's go."  
  
The Whiphid climbed into the passenger seat of the repulsor sled. He barely squeezed in. Obi-Wan got in the driver's seat. He took the metal visor from out of the bag and placed it over his eyes. Reaching down, he activated the sled and, with a soft hum, he and Zaka were soon speeding over the ground in the direction the Whiphid had indicated as leading towards Douro's camp.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Tsara blinked as her blindfold was removed. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light. She looked around. She was in a non-descript room, bare of both furniture, wall hangings or floor coverings. Nothing was in it to suggest what province she was in, what kind of building the room was located in or whether the owner was wealthy or poor.  
  
Tsara, as she had done years before, had contacted the Red Tide using the secret way given to her by a long-dead associate. Wearing a long robe with a hood and a veil that concealed her face, for she'd had to return secretly to the capital of her former province in order to do this, she had gone to a small antique shop in a run-down section of the city.  
  
There she had purchased a black, dragon-shaped statuette from the shop keeper. Once the statuette was in her hands, she had examined it and told the shop keeper she preferred one in red. The shop keeper, taking the black dragon back, instructed her to wait in a park just down the street and he would have a red dragon delivered to her.  
  
Tsara left the shop and went to the park. Not long after she had taken her seat on a bench near a grove of tress, a young man, dressed in loose, fawn- colored tunic and pants, dark of hair with storm-gray eyes, walked over to her. He asked if she was waiting for delivery of a red dragon. She nodded. The young man gestured for her to accompany him out of the park. She followed him to a repulsor-car with blacked-out windows. She entered the car. She saw for a moment the sun-burned, muscular neck of the driver before the young man, as he sat next to her in the back seat, blindfolded her after allowing her to lower her hood and remove her veil.  
  
After a somewhat lengthy drive, the car had stopped. Tsara was led out of it and taken up some stairs, still blindfolded. She had sensed she was walking down a series of hallways. Then she had been brought to this room. After removing her blindfold, her young guide had stepped to the side and stood at attention. Now, heart pounding, Tsara looked over at the leader of the Red Tide.  
  
He was of medium height and build, dressed in a dark purple jacket that was smartly fashioned. He wore matching colored pants which were tucked into ankle-high black boots. They were, Tsara saw, made of fine saksonian leather. A gold and purple sash was tied about his trim waist.  
  
His face was slightly rounded with a large aquiline nose, wide, fleshy lips and deeply set, storm-sea eyes. Hair, thick and black, crowned his high forehead and there were broad streaks of gray at the temple. If Tsara hadn't recognized him from their previous dealing, when she had hired him to eliminate a political rival of her husband's, she would have thought he was a banker or a prosperous landowner.  
  
"Lady Tsara," the man said as he bowed deeply to her, his voice both smooth and gravely. "A pleasure to see you again."  
  
"And you, Latan," she responded.  
  
"It has been many years since last you called upon my services," Latan said with a smile. "It was when your husband was still alive."  
  
"You were a young man then, Latan, but it would appear that time has been good to you."  
  
He shrugged his broad shoulders. "I take care of myself. Despite your recent troubles, you don't look so bad yourself," he commented, referring to the rich, opulent robe and gown she was wearing.  
  
"I survive, Latan. I always have and I always will."  
  
"Of that I have no doubt. Now, what may I do for you Lady Tsara?"  
  
"If you have heard of my troubles, then you know my current situation."  
  
Latan nodded. "There is not much that happens on Ahjane the Red Tide does not know of."  
  
"Then you know that my son, K'lia, has two Jedi staying with him, guarding my great-grandson."  
  
"We have heard."  
  
Tsara cleared her throat. "I want you to get my great-grandson and deliver him to me."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Latan tilted his head and gave Tsara a sly smile.  
  
"Is that all you want us to do, Lady Tsara?"  
  
Tsara bit her lip. She glanced at the young man who had brought her here. His face was impassive, but his dark gray eyes glittered as he gazed over at her. Tsara looked back at Latan.  
  
"Well, if in the process of obtaining my great-grandson, if by chance, there were a few deaths..." And she shrugged.  
  
Latan raised a thick, black eyebrow. "Only a few?"  
  
"I don't want my great-grandson harmed," she said quickly.  
  
"Have no fear of that. Is there anyone else you would like to see remain unharmed? That lovely granddaughter of yours, perhaps?"  
  
"If it were left up to me, I would not have you bother about sparing her, but Jerule has his eye on her. Bring her along with the child."  
  
Latan nodded. "And what of your son, Dynast K'lia? Shall he be spared?"  
  
Tsara's face twisted with anger. "He banished me! Does that answer your question?"  
  
"I understand. And the two Jedi?"  
  
Tsara clasped her hands and twisted them tight. Count Dooku had warned her explicitly that Skywalker was not to be harmed. Tsara had no idea why someone like the Count was interested in that spawn of the devil. She gripped her hands tighter.  
  
"The young Jedi....is not to be killed," she finally spat out. Then her eyes narrowed. "But, if by chance, he were to be injured in some way that was especially painful..."  
  
Latan inclined his head and smiled. "Understood. Now, as to our fee."  
  
Tsara reached into one of the pockets in her robe. She pulled out a thin, silver disk.  
  
"250,000 decales. Half your customary fee. I'll give you the rest when the baby is mine."  
  
Latan shook his head. "No need, Lady Tsara. Keep the rest of your money."  
  
Tsara's eyes widened. "What?"  
  
Latan gestured over to the young man who had brought her to see him.  
  
"My son is eager to test his skills against the Jedi. We will do this for half our regular fee."  
  
The young man stepped forward and bowed to Tsara. She now saw the family resemblance. The boy had Latan's deep set storm-gray eyes and the same cruel cast to his wide mouth.  
  
"At your service, Lady Tsara. My name is Rhad. My father is correct. The fighting skills of the Jedi are renowned throughout the galaxy. I look forward to finally encountering one."  
  
Lady Tsara eyed him for a moment, then turned back to Latan.  
  
"My son will lead the raid," he told her in answer to the look on her face. He glanced over at Rhad. "What do you think? Fifteen men?"  
  
Rhad shook his head, his eyes burning. "I will need only ten, Father."  
  
Tsara frowned. "Are you sure ten will be enough? I've made plans so that the Assembly guards who are now stationed at the manor will be pulled away, but these are Jedi we're talking about."  
  
Latan smiled and shook his head. "Trust my son's judgment, Lady Tsara. I speak not just as a proud father when I say that Rhad is the finest warrior in the Red Tide."  
  
Rhad again bowed to Tsara, his wide mouth stretched in a smile. Tsara frowned at him. She wasn't sure about this young pup leading the raid. She had hoped it would be Latan, but it wasn't for her to decide, and she was well aware that the mercenaries employed by the Red Tide were not only dangerous, they were reliable. As far as she knew they had never failed in any commission they had been given.  
  
"Well, I'll trust in your judgment, Latan. But, it must be done quickly," Tsara said. "There is another Jedi involved in this, but this one isn't a boy or a physician. This one, Kenobi, is one of the Jedi Order's finest warriors, or so I've been told. I want this done before he returns."  
  
"Understood. Though it's a pity we can't wait for him." Latan grinned over at his son. "I think Rhad would enjoy the challenge."  
  
Tsara frowned. If Latan's son wanted the challenge of going up against Kenobi, she thought irritably, he could do so on his own time. She wanted her great-grandson in her possession before that meddlesome Jedi returned.  
  
"What do you need me to do?" she asked Latan as she handed over the money- disk.  
  
Latan took it and slipped it into a pocket of his jacket.  
  
"When do you plan to have the Assembly guards pulled from the manor?" he asked.  
  
"In a few days. The day after they leave, I will have the security droids deactivated. I have someone in the manor, a servant still loyal to me, who will do this. But, I would ask one thing more of you. I want to come along. I want to be there when it happens."  
  
Latan raised his eyebrows. He looked over at his son who merely shrugged.  
  
"It is somewhat unprecedented, Lady Tsara," Latan said to her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"  
  
"Yes," Tsara hissed, her fists clenched. "I want to be there. I want to see the looks on their faces. On all their deceitful, traitorous faces."  
  
"As long as you are aware of the risk, Lady Tsara, so be it. My son will contact you when he is ready to strike."  
  
Tsara nodded. "Now, remember" she said, raising a bony finger and shaking it, "I do not want my great-grandson killed."  
  
"Or your granddaughter and the young Jedi, correct?" Latan added, his lips curled up in a knowing smile.  
  
Tsara was about to say she didn't care what happened to either of them, but she bit her lip. She had promised Jerule he could have Onara and there was still Dooku's warning about the Jedi brat, but she wished with all her heart the Count had never spoken it to her.  
  
"Yes," she said with a hard jerk of her head, her mouth tight. "They are to be spared. But," and she leaned towards Latan, "if the young Jedi should happen to be hurt in some way...."  
  
Latan smiled. "We'll keep it in mind." He gestured towards Rhad. "My son will take you back to the park where he met you."  
  
Tsara closed her eyes as Rhad tied the blindfold about them. She felt his hand on her arm as he turned her towards the door.  
  
"Goodbye, Lady Tsara," she heard Latan say from behind the darkness of her blindfold. "A pleasure doing business with you, as always."  
  
Tsara nodded and let herself be led from the room, out of the building and back into the repulsor car. Once the car stopped after its long drive, her blindfold was removed and, putting her veil back on and covering her head with the hood of her robe, she was allowed to exit the car. As she stood next to it, Rhad looked up at her from the back seat.  
  
"How much pain do you want the young Jedi to suffer, Lady Tsara?" he asked.  
  
"Anything short of death would be satisfactory," she replied.  
  
She was about to add that if Skywalker's death couldn't be avoided, that was fine too, but she didn't. Rhad nodded, grinning. He closed the door of the repulsor car and it sped away. Tsara watched it merge into the traffic of the capital. She then made her way to the antique shop where a vehicle, along with a driver, which Jerule had loaned her was waiting. Not long now, Tsara thought, as she climbed into the vehicle and signaled the driver she was ready to return to Kindah province.  
  
-----------  
  
The wind tore at Obi-Wan's face as he raced the snow-speeder across the frigid landscape of Toola. His brow was furrowed, but not just from the biting cold. He and Zaka were only a few kilometers out from the Whiphid camp. Zaka had informed him they would be arriving at Doruo's camp in about two hours.  
  
Obi-Wan had decided that once they got there, since it would still be daylight, he would do a reconnaissance of the camp, then wait until nightfall to enter it. His plan was to get Sinja-Bau away without coming into contact with either Douro or his men. He could only hope that, despite her madness, she would come willingly with him. And if she didn't? he thought. He frowned as his mind grappled with that horrible possibility.  
  
Then he felt Zaka pulling at his arm. He looked at the Whiphid. Over the roar of the wind he saw Zaka was yelling and gesturing for him to stop. Obi- Wan did so, the snow-speeder thrumming softly as it floated on its repulsor field. Obi-Wan pulled down his visor.  
  
"What is it, Zaka?" he asked, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. His need to get to Douro's camp was like a fever in his blood.  
  
Zaka didn't answer at first. He swung his big head around as if looking for something in the surrounding landscape. Obi-Wan followed his gaze. There was nothing to see but ice and snow. He looked back at Zaka. Apparently satisfied they weren't being watched, the Whiphid reached back into the storage section of the speeder. He grunted as he dug around. Once he had what he was looking for he turned towards Obi-Wan.  
  
"For you, Je-di."  
  
Obi-Wan looked at the leather pouch in Zaka's hand. He took it and something almost akin to an electric shock raced through him as he felt what was inside the pouch. He quickly opened it and pulled out his lightsaber. He looked over at Zaka, his eyes wide.  
  
"What are you doing with this?" he asked.  
  
"Big Yezun no understand. Je-di and weapon one." Zaka put his hands together and gripped them. "Zaka understand this. Zaka been out among the stars. Learn of Je-di. Fighters of the Light who carry blades of light. Not right for Big Yezun keep Je-di weapon."  
  
"But how did you get it?"  
  
Zaka shrugged his hairy shoulders. "Zaka take it."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head but he was smiling at the Whiphid.  
  
"But what happens when Big Yezun discovers it's missing and that you had something to do with it? Won't you be punished?"  
  
Zaka nodded solemnly.  
  
"Banished Zaka will be. But," and Zaka tilted his head back and looked up at the sky, "Zaka ready go back to stars. Boring here."  
  
Obi-Wan grinned and, reaching over, grasped Zaka's thick, hairy arm.  
  
"Thank you, Zaka. If you are banished and you wish to go back among the stars, you can come with Auna and me when we leave."  
  
Zaka nodded. He watched, his long black eyes glittering in the bright sunlight, as Obi-Wan dug among his fur wraps and attached the lightsaber to the belt under his tunic. He hadn't realized how much he had missed his weapon. He had not let himself dwell too much on its absence on this last and most important leg of his quest, for his philosophy had always been to make do with whatever resources he had, but now that he had his lightsaber again, he had to admit, he felt stronger and more confident. Once it was securely hooked to his belt, he looked over at Zaka.  
  
"Thank you again, my friend," he said warmly.  
  
Zaka nodded, then silently pointed in the direction they had been headed. Obi-Wan smiled as he pulled the visor back over his eyes and engaged the snow-speeder.  
  
Hold on, my love, he thought, as he sent a silent plea across the endless darkness of the galaxy toward Ahjane. Not much longer. The wind once again tore at Obi-Wan's face as he and Zaka raced towards Douro's camp, but this time he was smiling in the face of it.  
  
To be continued.... 


	29. Part TwentyNine

---------  
  
Obi-Wan adjusted the lenses on the macrobinoculars. He watched as one of the two ice-harvesters in Douro's camp lifted from the surface and soared up into the deepening twilight. It had been hours since he and Zaka had left the Whiphid camp. As they had continued their journey, Obi-Wan had noted the area had become more mountainous. He soon discovered Douro's camp was situated on the slope of a mountain upon which a glacier was making its way, micrometer by micrometer, down the mountainside. It was from this glacier Douro was harvesting his ice.  
  
Obi-Wan and Zaka had stashed the snow-speeder in a cave some kilometers away and hiked the rest of the way to the glacier. The two of them were now hidden upon a ridge overlooking the camp. Zaka had told Obi-Wan once an ice- harvester was full it was flown from the surface to a huge refriger- freighter waiting in orbit. The ice was unloaded there and, once emptied, the harvester was flown back to the camp.  
  
While spying on the camp, Obi-Wan had counted a total of fifteen men as they had made their way between the harvesters, the storage sheds and the various tents. He had seen Douro a few times, walking among his men, usually gesturing in a way that meant he was giving orders. There appeared to be no women in the camp and, except for Douro, all the workers were humanoids. Obi-Wan had yet to see any sign of Sinja-Bau.  
  
He sighed and readjusted the lenses. He wasn't worried about not being able to see once night came on, for the macrobinoculars functioned just as effectively in the dark, but he was concerned about not having seen Sinja- Bau yet. Then he felt Zaka's hand on his arm.  
  
He lowered the macrobinoculars and looked over at the Whiphid. He was pointing at something near one of the tents. Zaka's eyesight was much keener than Obi-Wan's so he quickly put the macrobinoculars back up to his eyes. He gasped.  
  
The figure coming out of the large tent, which Obi-Wan had determined was Douro's, was clearly a woman although she was dressed in a thick fur coat and a hood was pulled low over her face. She made her way, alone, through the camp and, pulling back the cover of a smaller tent, entered it.  
  
Obi-Wan lowered the macrobinoculars. He looked around. The sky was now a deep purple and the stars, hundreds upon hundreds of them, dotted the heavens, sharp, bright diamonds studded on a velvet backdrop. For a moment, Obi-Wan let himself imagine one of them was the star around which Ahjane spun.  
  
Then he quickly looked away from the sky and focused his attention back on the camp. With one of the ice harvesters now gone, crewed by some of the men, only eight remained in the camp, not including Douro and Sinja-Bau. Zaka had told Obi-Wan it usually took about five hours for one of the ice harvesters to return from the freighter. It was during those times the younger Whiphids would enter the camp and steal things.  
  
The tent Sinja-Bau had gone into was located just on the periphery of the camp, but not far from Douro's. Obi-Wan decided to wait one more hour, hoping the activity in the camp would start to slow down. After a bit he soon heard drunken singing coming from one of the larger tents, the one Obi- Wan suspected was some kind of mess tent. The men were probably celebrating the successful completion of one of their harvests.  
  
According to Zaka, even with the ice harvester, it was hard, grueling, dangerous work and it often took days to completely fill one of the harvesters. From what Obi-Wan had been able to discern, Douro had not left his tent after he had witnessed the lift-off of the ice harvester. Sinja- Bau had not left hers either. Obi-Wan handed the macrobinoculars to Zaka. It was now or never.  
  
"I'm going now, Zaka."  
  
"What Je-di want Zaka to do?"  
  
"Stay out of sight. I'll try to get back as soon as I can.  
  
Zaka nodded and put his large, hairy hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.  
  
"Je-di be careful."  
  
"I will, Zaka."  
  
Obi-Wan slid down the embankment until he was ground level. There were some tall glow-poles scattered about the camp, but there was still enough shadows for him to hide in. He noted two armed men circling the camp, apparently on the lookout for any incursions by the Whiphids, but it was easy enough for a Jedi Knight to avoid being seen by them.  
  
Obi-Wan steathily made his way to Sinja-Bau's tent. He ducked down as one of the guards crunched his way across the snow, heading away from the tent. Once the man had passed, Obi-Wan darted around and, opening the flap of the tent, slipped inside.  
  
It was dark inside and at first Obi-Wan saw no sign of Sinja-Bau. Then he saw a small dark lump. He quietly made his way over to it. It was Sinja- Bau. She was sleeping and, for a moment, Obi-Wan just stared down at her.  
  
He had seen holopictures of her in the Archives, taken when she had still been a member of the Jedi Order. In those pictures she had been a striking- looking woman, with thick white-blonde hair she had worn in braids pined about her head. Her eyes had been an alluring blue-green, set in an aristocratic face of high cheekbones, skin the color of pearl and a full, rich mouth.  
  
Now he saw before him a gaunt-faced woman with completely white, ropey hair, sunken cheekbones and a wide, but thin mouth lined with both age and affliction. She was wearing what looked like a dull-colored gown made out of some rough cloth. He slowly knelt down and put his hand on her shoulder, shaking her slightly.  
  
"Sinja-Bau," he said softly.  
  
She stirred, her lips working, the eyeballs under her lids moving restlessly. Obi-Wan shook her again.  
  
"Sinja-Bau," he said again, a little louder.  
  
The woman's eyes flew open and she stared up at him. He immediately sensed a great deal of fear flowing from him.  
  
"It's all right. I'm not going to hurt you," he said quickly, his hands still on her shoulders.  
  
"What....what are you?" she gasped, her eyes filled with an insane light. Her gaze roved over his wrappings of skin. "One of the snow demons? Come to take my soul?"  
  
"No, no, my name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."  
  
At the mention of his name, Obi-Wan thought he saw a glimmer of recognition beneath the fevered glaze of her wide, staring eyes, but it faded.  
  
"Who are you? What are you?" she asked, her face slack with fear.  
  
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," he repeated. "I'm a Jedi Knight."  
  
He released her shoulders and took off his animals skins, thinking that was what was frightening her. However, when Sinja-Bau saw his black clothing and, as he showed it to her, his lightsaber, she began to scream, a high- piercing scream of unadulterated terror.  
  
"No, no, the slaughterer of the light! The Temple in flames! The dead, broken bodies of the younglings. Dead, all of them! Now you've come for me. No, NO! Please, don't kill me. Please!"  
  
Obi-Wan grabbed Sinja-Bau's shoulders for she was screaming at the top of her lungs. He tried to hold onto her but she struggled fiercely in his grasp. He put his hand over her mouth to quiet her, but she bit it hard. Obi-Wan jerked his hand away. Then, when he heard the sound of running feet, he tried to reach for his lightsaber, but Sinja-Bau grabbed his arm, her grip like death, apparently thinking he was drawing his weapon to strike her down with it.  
  
"No, no, don't kill me. Please, don't kill me!" she cried as she held tightly onto his arm.  
  
Just as Obi-Wan was able to wrench away from her, trying his best not to hurt her, the flap to the tent was snatched open and three men ran in, blasters in hand.  
  
"Don't move you!" one of the men shouted.  
  
The other two ran over. One held a blaster to Obi-Wan's head while the other quickly disarmed him of his lightsaber. Sinja-Bau had collapsed to her knees, her back bent, her hands clasped to her face as she shivered and moaned. Obi-Wan looked over as another man stepped into the tent. It was Douro. He was dressed in a long leather coat and thick hide boots. He stood for a moment, his solid white eyes taking in everything: Obi-Wan, his men standing guard over him, and Sinja-Bau still kneeling and keening hysterically on the floor.  
  
"He had this, me Lord," one of the men said to Douro, handing Obi-Wan's lightsaber over to him.  
  
Douro carefully examined the lightsaber, then his white gaze slid over to Obi-Wan.  
  
"A Jedi Knight," he said softly. His voice was low and melodious. "How interesting."  
  
He turned to the man who was standing next to him.  
  
"Go to the storage shed and get those Mandalorian manacles we picked up on Zirius IV. We'll need something strong to keep this one from escaping."  
  
The man saluted by thumping his chest, then ran off. Douro turned towards Obi-Wan. His thick square face broke into a wide, but deadly smile.  
  
"Don't try any of your tricks while we wait for the manacles, Jedi. You may be fast, but not fast enough to dodge a blaster shot to the head."  
  
Both of Douro's men were now holding their blasters to Obi-Wan's head, and in response to his statement, pressed them harder against his temple.  
  
"Now, answer me this?," Douro said, his voice still low and calm. "Who are you, what are you doing here and why did you frighten poor Sinja-Bau?"  
  
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I came here to bring her back to the Republic."  
  
"Back? But wasn't it you Jedi who cast her out of heaven, like some thrice- damned spirit? And now you want her back?"  
  
"I need her help," Obi-Wan replied.  
  
"No, no," Sinja-Bau cried, scuttling over and grabbing Douro by the knees. "He lies. He's come to kill me. He killed all the others. I saw it. The Temple in flames. The bodies burning. Now he's come for me. Blinded to the Force as I am, he still seeks my heart. He wants it as a trophy, to store with all the others. Please, don't let him kill me!"  
  
Douro looked down at Sinja-Bau as she gazed wildly up at him. He bent down and helped her to her feet. As he did, the man who had been sent to get the manacles returned. He quickly put them around Obi-Wan's wrists. Obi-Wan looked down at them. Mandalorian manacles were made from Mandalorian iron, a virtually indestructible metal, impervious even to a lightsaber.  
  
"Take him to one of the storage shed. Post guards. Keep a close watch," Douro said as he put his arm around the hysterical Sinja-Bau's shoulder.  
  
The men nodded and, with their blasters now pressed against Obi-Wan's back, pushed him out of the tent. They took him to a storage shed and shoved him inside. Obi-Wan fell to his knees. Then he heard one of the men talking to the other.  
  
"I don't trust those cuffs, even if they are made of Mandalorian iron. I heard about these Jedi Knights."  
  
The other one nodded. "Yeah, best be sure he don't even think about escaping."  
  
And with that both men beat Obi-Wan about the head with their blasters until he finally, blessedly lost consciousness.  
  
---------  
  
"Obi-Wan!"  
  
Anakin jerked awake. He looked around the sitting room. The two Assembly guards who were assigned to guard Onara stood at attention on opposite sides of the room. Master Eo was with the other guards in Ben's nursery.  
  
Anakin's cheeks warmed as he realized he had dozed off. Then he heard Onara cry out Obi-Wan's name again. He shot from his chair and, jerking the bedroom door open, ran into her room, the guards following. There was only one lone glow-light on in the room, a small one on her dressing table. Onara was sitting up in bed, her dark hair tussled wildly about her face, her hands pressed against her cheeks. He ran over to her.  
  
"Onara, what's wrong?"  
  
She didn't seem to see him. She was staring sightlessly into space, her mouth open in horror. Anakin grabbed her shoulders and shook her.  
  
"Onara!" he cried.  
  
She slowly turned her head and finally seemed to see him, her dark eyes focusing on his blue ones.  
  
"Anakin?"  
  
He nodded. "Are you all right?"  
  
She grabbed his arms and gripped them tightly.  
  
"Obi-Wan! I was dreaming about Obi-Wan! He's hurt, Anakin. I could feel it. He's so hurt." Tears filled her eyes, streaming down her face. "Oh, Anakin, why did he have to go?"  
  
Anakin swallowed in a tight throat. "Onara, no one could have stopped him from going. Not if there was a chance to save you."  
  
"I don't care about me," Onara sobbed. "It's Obi-Wan I want."  
  
"Don't worry," Anakin said soothingly, stroking her hair as he sat next to her. "It was only a dream. Just a dream. Obi-Wan is one of the strongest Jedi in the Order. There isn't much my master can't handle. He'll be all right. And he'll return with Sinja-Bau. And she'll cure you and then you and Obi-Wan can...."  
  
Anakin stopped. Onara still didn't know Edress was dead and she was now free. Then Anakin frowned. Free that is if Jerule didn't go through with his threat to go to the Ahjane high court and settle the matter there regarding Onara. That had been his answer to K'lia's refusal to turn her and Ben over to him. However, earlier today Simtro had told Anakin there were rumors of massive troop movements in Kindah Province. Anakin now suspected all this talk about going to court was just a smoke screen for some other strategy on Jerule's part.  
  
He truly hoped Jerule wasn't planning to go to war to get Onara. That was certainly the last thing he and the others needed right now, what with there still being no word or sign of Lady Tsara or her whereabouts. Anakin knew that kryat dragon wasn't going to give up so easily. She had to be up to something. Then Onara sighed and, leaning over, lowered her head onto Anakin's shoulder.  
  
"You're right, Anakin. Obi-Wan is strong. Very strong. But, if something should happen to him because of me...."  
  
"It won't. Trust me. He'll come back. He will."  
  
Anakin put his arm about her shoulder and, gesturing with his head for the guards to return to the sitting room, held her as she cried, her tears soaking his tunic.  
  
He'll be back, Anakin thought. He has to come back. For all their sakes.  
  
----------  
  
Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes. They were nearly swollen shut and his face was not only bruised, there were cuts on it. He was lying on his side on what felt like a carpet. He moved his head slowly so as not to further aggravate his injuries. At first all he saw were shapes and colors that seemed to run into each other. He wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed since he lost consciousness. It felt like hours. He closed his eyes and, calling upon the techniques he had learned from Qui-Gon, dissociated his mind from the pain. Once his mind was clear, he opened his eyes again. He was lying on a carpet inside a large tent. In front of him were a pair of brown hide boots. Douro's boots.  
  
"He's conscious, Lord," he heard a man's voice.  
  
"Lift him up so that he may look upon me."  
  
Obi-Wan was pulled up by two pair of hands until he was standing. His wrists were still shackled with the Mandalorian manacles. Douro stared at him from where he sat on a makeshift throne comprised of a heavy metal chair draped with some rather garishly colored pieces of cloth. Obi-Wan briefly closed his eyes, suppressing a smile. If the situation weren't so dire, he would have been inclined to laugh. Douro and Big Yezun were mortal enemies, yet both had the same sense of exaggerated self-importance. And, like Big Yezun, Douro now had Obi-Wan's lightsaber in his lap.  
  
The Arkanian continued to stare at Obi-Wan. He suspected Douro imagined his solid white-eyed gaze was intimidating. But, when you've stared into the frenzied, crazed eyes of a Nahanni Cacodemon, as Obi-Wan had done a few years ago, nothing much fazed you. He looked back at Douro, his gaze never wavering, his eyes never blinking. Finally, Douro broke eye contact. He pointed at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Who are you?" he intoned.  
  
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi," he answered through his split lips.  
  
Douro shook his head. "No, that's now what I asked. Who are you?"  
  
"I told you---"  
  
"No!" Douro shouted. "Who are you! Are you the one she spoke of? The Dark One?"  
  
Obi-Wan lowered his head and shook it.  
  
"No," he replied, as he looked back up at Douro. "I am not. Sinja-Bau is very ill in her mind. Nothing she has said has come about. The Jedi Temple is not in flames. It still stands. There are no dead children lying in its ruins. And I am not this Dark one she speaks of."  
  
"Then what are you doing here? You have no jurisdiction here. Toola is not a member of the Republic."  
  
"I told you. I came for Sinja-Bau. To take her back with me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She was once a healer in the Jedi Order. I need her to save the life of a woman."  
  
"Ah," Douro said softly as he nodded. "Now, it looks like some truth comes out from among all your lies."  
  
He rasied his hand and, with a hard lurch of his heart, Obi-Wan saw he was holding the pendant he had been wearing. Douro opened it and pressed the bottom. Onara's and Ben's image formed in the air.  
  
"This woman?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, his throat aching. Douro tilted his head and gazed at the image of Onara as she smiled at him.  
  
"Pretty. Is she here on Toola?"  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head no.  
  
"Pity. Because if she were, I would have her brought here to pleasure me. The little one would have to die, of course, being of no use to me. But I would let her live. For awhile. Until I tired of her."  
  
Obi-Wan felt a sudden surge of red anger that nearly blinded him. He instinctively pulled against the hold the guards had on his arms, wanting only to take the pendant from Douro and put his hands around the Arkanian's thick neck.  
  
"I do not believe you, Jedi," Douro said, ignoring Obi-Wan as he struggled in the grip of his guards. "I do not believe you traveled all this way just to save the life of this whore," he said as he gestured at Obi-Wan with the image of Onara. "That is not the Jedi way. You do not form such attachments." He closed the pendant, Onara's and Ben's image disappearing. ""So, why are you here really?"  
  
"I told you," Obi-Wan said. "I need Sinja-Bau's help."  
  
Douro gestured to one of the men holding Obi-Wan. He grunted as the man punched him hard in the side. Obi-Wan doubled over, the pain ripping through him. The man jerked him up erect.  
  
"Shall I have my men beat the truth out of you, Jedi?" Douro asked.  
  
"They can't beat out what I've already told you," Obi-Wan said through gritted teeth as he struggled to control the pain lancing through his body.  
  
"Where is the beast who brought you here? We found its tracks in the ridge above us. Where did it go? Back to its tribe?"  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. He was glad to hear Zaka had gotten away. He could only imagine what Douro would have done to the Whiphid if he had captured him. Douro stared at him for a long moment. Then he abruptly stood, Obi- Wan's lightsaber and pendant still in hand.  
  
"Take him back to the storage shed."  
  
The guards dragged Obi-Wan out of the tent. Once inside, he waited for them to beat him into submissive unconsciousness again but, perhaps, he had worn them out the last time because they'd had to beat him for quite a while before he finally lost consciousness. Now they only tied him tightly, with some thick rope twined about with metal, to a large piece of machinery, his hands still manacled.  
  
One of the men went to stand guard outside, when the other drew up a metal crate and sat on it, his blaster securely in hand. Obi-Wan wearily closed his eyes, struggling to master his pain. He needed to rest if he was going to find a way to escape before Douro finally did what Obi-Wan could see in his eyes he longed to do. Kill him.  
  
To be continued.... 


	30. Part Thirty

First Knight - Part Thirty  
  
------------------  
  
Once the Jedi had been taken away, Douro clipped the lightsaber to the belt about his waist. He left his tent and went to Sinja-Bau's. He had given her some ale to calm her down after her encounter with the Jedi. Now, as he entered her tent, he saw she was lying as he had left her on the bed, her eyes closed. He looked down at her. Ever since he had first seen her, ranting and raving in the square in the capital city of Lianna, he had been enthralled with her. Not in the way a man is when he is in love with a woman. No, it was nothing like that. He had been captivated by the intense fear and wonder she had generated in him.  
  
"Sinja-Bau," he called to her.  
  
She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him.  
  
"Is he the one?" he asked. "Is he the one you've spoken of?"  
  
"Who?" she asked.  
  
Douro frowned. He hated when this happened. Sometimes the brain fever would leave her and she would be like anyone else. Calm, rational, sane; no longer possessed by the internal demons who spoke to her and told her of things that were to come.  
  
"The Jedi. The one that frightened you."  
  
She sat up. "Jedi? There's a Jedi here? Where?"  
  
"He's in the storage shed. Is he the one, Sinja-Bau?"  
  
Sinja-Bau pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead and pressed it.  
  
"I...I don't know. So much in my mind. So many things. Voices. Visions. No, I don't know any Jedi. Not anymore."  
  
Douro showed her the lightsaber. "He was wearing this."  
  
Sinja-Bau ran her fingers over it.  
  
"I've seen one like this. Similar, but different. Long ago." Then a soft smile appeared on her face. "Blue eyes. Big, strong hands. Long, brown hair. Yes, long ago."  
  
Douro frowned. He laid the lightsaber on the bed. Taking her by the shoulders he shook her hard.  
  
"Is he the one?" he shouted. "Is the Jedi the dark one?"  
  
The destruction of the Jedi Order had not much interested or concerned Douro. But this dark one she was always ranting about, that had interested him. He needed to know if the Jedi they had captured was the one she had spoken of. Sinja-Bau cried out as he gripped her shoulders hard.  
  
"I don't know of what you speak," she cried. "I don't know any Jedi. Not anymore."  
  
Douro released her shoulders and angrily showed her the pendant. He opened it and pressed the bottom.  
  
"What about them? Do you know them?"  
  
Sinja-Bau stared at the image of the dark-haired woman and her baby. Suddenly, her eyes regained their delirious, insane glimmer. Her mouth fell open and she gazed rapturously at the image.  
  
"The Mother of the Light," she whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Where did you get this?" she asked him.  
  
"From the Jedi. The one you don't claim to remember."  
  
"The one who was in my tent?"  
  
Douro nodded. Finally she was back to her old self. "Yes. You called him the dark one."  
  
He was surprised to see her shrug.  
  
"Might have been wrong. Yes," she said nodding fiercely as she gazed hungrily at the holographic image, her voice low as if she were talking to herself. "Might have been wrong. This pendant belongs to him?"  
  
"Yes," Douro said, his irritation with her growing. "So who is he?"  
  
Sinja-Bau took the pendant from Douro's hand. She peered at the image of the woman and the child.  
  
"Might have been wrong. Yes, might have been wrong," she murmured. "Things are jumbled. Like a book whose pages have been rearranged. Something happened to change everything. Darkness will still come, but Light will be stronger, fiercer, burn brighter. Don't understand it. Not yet. But with time, clearer it will become."  
  
"Bah!" Douro snarled, finally fed up with her.  
  
He hated when she got confused like this. It had been happening a lot the past few months. She'd say one thing, then contradict it in the next breath. Actually, he was beginning to tire of her. When he got back to Lianna he was going to throw her back into the gutter where he had found her. Or, perhaps, he'd just leave her on this ball of ice.  
  
He made to leave, then saw she still had the pendant. He was about to take it from her, then changed his mind. He had the Jedi's weapon. Let her keep his worthless keepsake. He turned and left her as she continued to stare crazily at the hologram. As he made his way back to his tent, he narrowed his eyes against the wind. Yes, he would leave her here. Leave her here with the corpse of that Jedi.  
  
----------------  
  
Obi-Wan looked up as the door to the storage shed opened. The cold wind blew in, blasting in gusts of snow. Then his eyes widened when he saw who it was. Sinja-Bau pushed the door shut behind her. She was dressed in work- clothes of tunic and pants, along with a pair of heavy boots and the hooded fur coat he had seen her wearing earlier. She looked over at the man who was guarding Obi-Wan. He stared back at her, his jaw slack. Then Sinja-Bau smiled slyly.  
  
"Konar has a jug of ale with him outside."  
  
"Ale?" the man cried. "How comes he gets ale and I don't?"  
  
Sinja-Bau shrugged her shoulders.  
  
The man stood, his face twisted with anger. "He don't rate no more than me. I work just as hard as he does."  
  
He made for the door, then turned to Sinja-Bau, pointing at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Keep an eye on him. I'll be right back."  
  
He opened the door and stepped outside, closing it behind him. Sinja-Bau hurried over. She knelt close to Obi-Wan, her breath frosting on the air. She gently put her hand on his bruised face.  
  
"Forgive me," she whispered. "You're not the one. In my visions, dark he is, the slayer of the Light, but his face I never see. But now I know. Now I see. You are not him. But, things have changed. I can feel it. The river that is the future, new tributaries it has found." Then she frowned as she tilted her face. "Familiar you look. Long ago, perhaps?" She fingered his beard. "No beard then, I think. But the eyes...the color..."  
  
Her fingers gently touched Obi-Wan around his swollen eyes and, for a moment, he saw again that flame of recognition in her gaze. Then it was replaced by the fever of her madness. She lifted her hand and Obi-Wan saw she was holding his pendant. With shaking fingers she opened it and pressed the bottom. Onara and Ben's image floated in front of her.  
  
"This woman?" she asked eagerly, her eyes filled with a wild light. "Do you know her?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded slowly.  
  
"The child is hers?"  
  
"Yes, and mine. He's my son."  
  
"Ah," Sinja-Bau said, nodding. She gazed at the image for a long moment. Then she looked back at Obi-Wan.  
  
"I must see her. Will you," then she stopped, her voice nearly breaking,"...will you take me to her?"  
  
Obi-Wan stared dazedly at her, unable to believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Yes," he finally said through his split lips, his voice throbbing. "That is why I came here, Sinja-Bau. To take you to her."  
  
The woman nodded. "Good, good, yes, that is good. Need to see her. Must see her."  
  
Sinja-Bau leaned over and put the pendant around Obi-Wan's neck.  
  
"Thank you," he told her. "But, if you want me to take you to her, I need to get out of these manacles.  
  
Sinja-Bau suddenly giggled, the sound sweet and young.  
  
"Wait, just wait," she went on sniggling.  
  
Obi-Wan stared at her, then he heard a sound from outside as if two heavy objects were falling against the metal walls of the shed. Sinja-Bau patted his arm as she got up. She ran to the door and opened it, kneeling over what looked like a huge dark shape on the ground. She moved around the shape, then rose and scurried back to Obi-Wan.  
  
In her hand was a slipkey. She slid it into the manacles. They tumbled from about Obi-Wan's wrists. He was still tied to the machine, but Sinja-Bau hunted about the shed until she found a vibro-cutter. She quickly cut the ropes from around him.  
  
"Come, come, quick, must get them in," she cried slipping the vibro-cutter into a pocket of her tunic. She hurried over to the entrance of the shed.  
  
Obi-Wan joined her and saw that the two guards, a jug of ale, its bronze colored liquid spilling into the white snow between them, were lying on the ground, apparently unconscious. Sinja-Bau bent down and grabbed one by the shoulders, grunting as she struggled to drag him in. Obi-Wan touched her, indicating she should step away. She did so and he quickly dragged both men into the shed, closing the door behind him.  
  
"Should we tie them up?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Sinja Bau shook her head. "Not needed. Both drank enough knock-out juice that for hours and hours they will sleep." She winked at Obi-Wan and, leaning over, whispered, to him. "Filched it from the infirmary on the harvester. Put it in the ale. Clever, aren't I?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. Then, as he was about to head for the door, he felt her hand on his arm.  
  
"My brother, I see that you are injured. Let me help you."  
  
Obi-Wan gasped as he looked over at her. Sinja-Bau was standing, tall and straight, her blue-green eyes clear and sane, like the eyes in her holopicture at the Temple.  
  
"Obi-Wan Kenobi, correct?" she asked, her voice strong and warm, full of both sanity and lucidity. "You were apprentice to Qui-Gon Jinn but no longer, I suspect."  
  
Obi-Wan could only nod, too astonished at her transformation.  
  
"Sometimes..." and Sinja-Bau swallowed heavily, her throat working, "...sometimes the winds of the madness die away, like the eye of a storm passing through my mind and I remember. I remember who I was, I remember all I did, I remember everything. However, the calm does not last for long and the storm soon returns and I forget. Therefore, we must hurry. You must be healed of your injuries. Kneel down."  
  
Obi-Wan did so. Sinja-Bau stood in front of him. She gently pressed her hands on his shoulder.  
  
"You will have to heal yourself, Obi-Wan. I can not do it for you, but I can instruct you as to what you must do. Now, close your eyes and call upon the Force."  
  
Obi-Wan did so and, her voice as smooth and cool as the inside of a seashell, Sinja-Bau instructed him on how to use the Force to heal the injuries about his head and face; the cuts, the bruises, the swelling, and the pain he had managed to disconnect himself from but that was taking all his strength to do so. The tendrils of the Force, as Obi-Wan directed it, based upon the instructions she gave him, moved smoothly through the muscles and the veins and the flesh of his face, healing, mending, repairing.  
  
Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes once Sinja-Bau's soft, melodious voice died away. He reached up and gingerly touched his face. His lips were healed and the swelling had disappeared from around his eyes. There were still some minor cuts and a few small bruises on his face, but the pain was gone and he also felt refreshed, strength pouring through him like sunlight breaking through clouds. He looked up at Sinja-Bau and was about to thank her, but was dismayed to see the madness once again swirling in her eyes.  
  
"Come, we must go. The Mother of Light. Yes, yes, see her I must. Hurry. Hurry. Before he finds us," she cried, her shoulders hunched as she scuttled to the door.  
  
Obi-Wan rose from his knees and followed her out into the darkness and cold. The wind was howling and, without the animal wraps the Whiphids had given him, it seemed to cut through his flesh. But he ignored it. The important thing was for him and Sinja-Bau to get away.  
  
However, he recalled Douro's earlier comments about Zaka. Obi-Wan wondered if Douro had searched as far as the cave where the snow-speeder was hidden. Either Zaka was at the cave or he had gone back to the Whiphid camp. Either way, Obi-Wan had to find some kind of transportation. Even if they made for the cave, he wasn't sure Sinja-Bau could make it that far.  
  
With the two men now unconscious in the shed, that left seven, including Douro. Obi-Wan wondered if perhaps he should risk stealing one of their speeders. He was about to tell Sinja-Bau of his plan when his senses alerted him. He barely had enough time to push her to the ground when he felt the hot hiss of a blaster bolt whizzing past his ear.  
  
Obi-Wan's instinct was to cover Sinja-Bau with his body, but he needed to see where the blaster fire was coming from. He rolled away from her and saw Douro running towards Sinja-Bau where she was rising slowly from the ground. Obi-Wan raised his hands and pushed at Douro with the Force. He was surprised when Douro reacted as if someone had only nudged him. He kept coming, his blaster aimed at Sinja-Bau.  
  
"Traitorous whore," he cried. "Now your corpse will rot along with the Jedi's."  
  
"No," Obi-Wan shouted as he Force-raced towards Douro.  
  
The Arkanian turned and fired at him, but Obi-Wan was moving so fast he easily avoided the bolt. He slammed into Douro and they both crashed onto the ground, rolling across the snow. As they grappled for the blaster, Obi- Wan felt his lightsaber, where it was attached to Douro's belt, digging into his side.  
  
His grip still clasped around the blaster in Douro's hands and, pinned as he was under the Arkanian's weight, Obi-Wan managed to push his knee hard into Douro's stomach. Douro grunted, but didn't move off him. Obi-Wan remembered the Arkanians' fabled stamina. They continued struggling for the blaster, both men breathing heavily and grunting deeply. With a loud cry, Obi-Wan gathered his strength and pushed Douro off him, risking his hold on the blaster, but needing to get to his lightsaber.  
  
Douro rolled across the ground. Then, as Douro leapt to his feet, his blaster raised, Obi-Wan saw his lightsaber lying amid the snow. However, when he tried to pull it to him with the Force, he saw out of the corner of his eye Sinja-Bau running towards Douro, the vibro-cutter she had used to free him in her hand. Douro looked over at her, his white eyes narrowing with malice. He aimed the blaster at her.  
  
Obi-Wan reached for his lightsaber. It flew to his hand. He ignited it and ran towards Douro. He saw Douro squeezing the trigger. Obi-Wan swung his lightsaber hard and, as Douro's head flew from his shoulders and landed on the ground, his fingers must have been in the process of squeezing the trigger because the blaster fired even as his headless body crumpled to the ground. Sinja-Bau cried out, dropping the vibro-cutter as she collapsed in a heap.  
  
"Sinja-Bau!"  
  
Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and ran over to her. He knelt down, his heart pounding. He checked her pulse. She was still alive. The blaster bolt had only struck her in the shoulder.  
  
"Sinja-Bau," he said softly.  
  
"All right," she gasped as she opened her eyes and looked up at him, but Obi-Wan could clearly see she was in great pain. "All right. Just take me to her. I must see her."  
  
"You will see her, Sinja-Bau," Obi-Wan said. "I will take you to her. I promise."  
  
Then, at the sound of running feet, he quickly rose and turned, lightsaber blazing. The rest of Douro's men, having heard the blaster fire and the shouts, now surrounded him, some with their weapons drawn. They looked over to where Douro's head and lifeless body were strewn about the ground, then back at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan gripped his lightsaber, the blood pounding in his ears.  
  
"I swear," he shouted, his eyes burning. "If any one of you tries to thwart me from leaving with this woman, his head will be lying on the ground next to Douro's!"  
  
The men stared at Obi-Wan. Then one of them, a big, burly man with bright red hair, stepped forward. He slowly put his blaster back into his holster as he approached Obi-Wan, hands raised.  
  
"Name's Gobind, Master Jedi. Look, we don't want no trouble. If you want to leave with Sinja-Bau, that's fine with me. We signed on with Douro to make some money, that's all." He gestured over at the Arkanian's headless body. "That one was nothing but bad news. Right, men?"  
  
He looked around at the men. All nodded in agreement. Gobind turned back to Obi-Wan.  
  
"We just signed on to make some money, that's all," he repeated earnestly. "Then when we gets here, Douro starts making us call him lord and master and crap like that. Then we finds out that when he was last here he stirred the Whiphids up by killing their women and young ones. I swear, we had nothing to do with that. Was a different crew that did that. We're just here to make some money, that's all. Once we were done, we just want to leave. We don't want no trouble."  
  
"If that is true," Obi-Wan said in a clipped, firm voice, his lightsaber humming above the whining of the wind, "then I can assure you, you won't be getting any trouble from me. Therefore, do we understand each other?"  
  
Gobind nodded quickly. "Sure, sure, Master Jedi. Actually, you did us all a favor, taking Douro out like that. Crazy as a myrstal, that one was. Right, men?"  
  
The men all nodded again and Obi-Wan was relieved to see that the ones who had drawn blasters were now replacing them in their holsters. Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber. He clipped it to his belt and knelt next to Sinja-Bau. She was moaning softly. He bent down and, lifting her in his arms, turned back to Gobind.  
  
"I need to treat her injury."  
  
"This way," Gobind said, pointing to his left. "There's an infirmary on the harvester. I'll take you there."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded and followed him.  
  
---------------  
  
Obi-Wan was just finishing wrapping a bacta bandage around Sinja-Bau's wound when he heard a commotion coming from outside the harvester. He unclipped his lightsaber.  
  
"Wait here," he told her. She nodded at him, her eyes wide.  
  
Obi-Wan ran outside. At first he couldn't see what was happening because the wind had picked up even more, blowing snow both left and right. Then he heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Where is he, ya motherless pack of mongrels! I'll blast the lot of ya to hell and back if ya don't show him to me right now!"  
  
Obi-Wan ran through the blistering, blinding wind to the source of that voice. He came upon Auna, standing upright in a snow speeder, all four of her hands holding a blaster. Her lovely face was twisted with rage as she gestured with her weapons at the men surrounding the snow speeder. Zaka was with her. He was sitting calmly in the passener's seat of the speeder, apparently oblivious to what was happening. Obi-Wan quickly pushed his way through the crowd of men who, understandably, had their own blasters drawn but, thankfully, had not fired.  
  
"Auna, I'm here. Lower your weapons."  
  
"Master Kenobi," Auna cried out, her face splitting into a wide smile. Then she saw the remaining cuts and bruises on his face.  
  
"Ah, they've hurt ya, Master Kenobi," she said fiercely, gesturing with her blasters at the crowd.  
  
"I'm fine, Auna. Now, please, lower your weapons. It's all right. I'll explain what happened."  
  
Auna looked at Obi-Wan for a moment, then back at the crowd. She slowly holstered her blasters. Obi-Wan turned to the men.  
  
"It's all right. She's with me."  
  
"What about the Whiphid?" one of the men shouted. "Maybe he's here for revenge."  
  
"He's not," Obi-Wan said quickly. "He's my translator. I will personally vouch for his conduct while he's here."  
  
The men murmured and grumbled among themselves for a moment but, finally, put their blasters away and made their way back to their tents. Obi-Wan walked over to the speeder, clipping his lightsaber back on his belt. Auna and Zaka climbed out of the speeder. Auna threw her arms around Obi-Wan and gave him a nearly bone-crushing hug. She stepped back, smiling.  
  
"I was sure I was gonna find ya hung and quartered, Master Kenobi. When Zaka came back to camp and said ya had been captured by Douro, I truly thought that was the end of ya."  
  
"Well, as you can see I'm here. Alive and well."  
  
"And Douro?"  
  
Obi-Wan's smile slipped away. He swallowed and briefly looked away from Auna.  
  
"He's dead," he said quietly.  
  
"Ah, I see," Auna said. She and Zaka exchanged a look. "Let's get out of this wind. My bones are freezing."  
  
"This way," Obi-Wan told her. "I was in the infirmary on the harvester. Treating Sinja-Bau."  
  
"So ya found her?" Auna said as they walked across the snow. "Is she willing to help ya lady love?"  
  
"I think so," Obi-Wan said as he opened the door to the harvester and the three stepped in. "I'll tell you everything later."  
  
They walked down the corridor and, as Obi-Wan turned into the infirmary, he saw that Sinja-Bau had gotten off the table where he had been treating her. She had put her tunic back on and was now peering closely at what looked like a medscanner. Obi-Wan's heart turned over. He could see that somewhere deep within the tumult of her madness she probably recognized the instrument, but it lay buried too deep to make its way to the surface of her awareness.  
  
"Sinja-Bau," Obi-Wan called to her.  
  
She jerked her head up looking, for a moment, like a child caught playing with something she had been forbidden to touch.  
  
"These are my friends," Obi-Wan said softly as he gestured towards Auna and Zaka.  
  
Sinja-Bau put the medscanner down on a counter and walked over to the Whiphid and Cordu-Ji.  
  
"Friends of the Mother of the Light, are you?"  
  
Auna looked over at Obi-Wan, her violet eyes perplexed.  
  
"It's what she calls Onara," he explained.  
  
Auna nodded and looked back at Sinja-Bau. "Yeah, sure, we're her friends. Are ya a friend of hers?"  
  
Obi-Wan frowned at Auna's question, but was surprised to see Sinja-Bau nodding eagerly.  
  
"Friend, yes. But will be much more, yes, much more."  
  
Auna gave Obi-Wan another confused look, but he slightly shook his head, indicating it was best for her not to try and understand Sinja-Bau's ravings.  
  
"What about the ship, Auna?," he asked her. "Is she ready to fly? I'll want to leave Toola as soon as possible."  
  
"Oh, yeah, Master Kenobi. She's more than ready. Some of these Whiphids are pretty handy with the tools once ya show them what to do. Just need to take care of a few more things when we get back to camp, but we'll be ready to go in two shakes of a luma's tail."  
  
"Good," Obi-Wan said.  
  
He turned and went over to Sinja-Bau, taking her gently by the arm.  
  
"It's time to go, Sinja Bau," he said softly. "Is there anything you'd like to bring with you?"  
  
"No, no, nothing. Time to go. Yes, time to go." Then she reached up and placed her hand alongside Obi-Wan's face.  
  
"The future awaits us," she whispered.  
  
Obi-Wan glanced at Auna and saw she was rolling her eyes. He frowned at her. She shrugged, then turned and led him, Zaka and Sinja-Bau out of the harvester.  
  
To be continued... 


	31. Part ThirtyOne

First Knight - Part Thirty-One -------------  
  
Crossing his arms over his chest, Obi-Wan looked up at the hard blue sky of Toola. It was the day following his finding of Sinja-Bau at Douro's camp. After Auna's somewhat disruptive arrival, Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau, along with Zaka, had returned with her to the Whiphid's camp. They had arrived just before dawn.  
  
Obi-Wan had left Douro's men amicably enough. The red-haired Gobind had been elected crew-chief and informed Obi-Wan that as soon as the last harvester was filled they would leave Toola. Obi-Wan then told Gobind of the two men who were in the storage shed, sleeping off the effects of knock- out juice. As for Douro, his headless body had been buried and his head...  
  
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, tightening his arms across his chest. Douro's head was why Obi-Wan was standing outside alone, staring up at the sky. All the Whiphids were in Big Yezun's audience tent. Sinja-Bau was sleeping in Obi- Wan and Auna's tent and Auna was making some last minute repairs to her ship.  
  
Obi-Wan had been invited to the ceremony the Whiphids were now engaged in for, as the slayer of Douro, he had been accorded the right to present the Arkanian's head to the Whiphid chief. But Obi-Wan had declined and he had not cared that, according to Zaka, his refusal could be seen as a discourtesy. The Whiphids had Douro's head, their payment for the loss of their loved ones, therefore Obi-Wan so no reason to take any thanks or recognition for what he'd done. Whether one killed in self-defense or to save another, it was still killing. A life, a part of the Force, had been severed from the universe. There was no glory or grandeur in that.  
  
Obi-Wan shuddered as he heard from the tent the howls and ululations of the Whiphids. He could only assume the head was being presented to Big Yezun. Zaka had volunteered to do it in Obi-Wan's place. And why not? Obi-Wan thought. It had been Zaka who had picked the head up from where it had been lying in the snow, put it in a refrigo-box and brought it back to the camp.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed heavily. He was wearing the cape Onara's aunts had given him. It was surprisingly warm and it certainly smelled better than the animals wraps he had been wearing. Actually, he detected a faint scent on it. The scent of honeyroses. And with that, as Obi-Wan closed his eyes, he was no longer on Toola listening to the blood cries of the Whiphids as they celebrated the death of their enemy.  
  
He was on Ahjane, and it was the night of the blessing ceremony. Onara was sitting in the nuptial bed, her thick, dark hair spilling down her bare, slender back, her hands pressed over her eyes, and she was laughing, and her laughter was as lovely as starlight, and Obi-Wan was walking around the room, plucking petals from the honeyroses, their sweetness and softness filling his senses, just as Onara had.  
  
"Master Kenobi!"  
  
Obi-Wan started and opened his eyes. Auna was standing in front of him.  
  
"Where'd ya go, Master Kenobi? I must have called ya three times. And ya sure had the silliest, goofiest smile on ya face." Then Auna narrowed her eyes and nodded knowingly. "Ah, I bet ya was thinking about that lady love of yars. I recognize that look. Actually, I've been the source of such looks myself."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at her. "I'm sure you have, Auna. Are we ready?"  
  
"Yep, we're ready to blast off this ball of ice. And I tells ya," and she shivered, drawing the animal wraps she was wearing tightly around her. "I sure hope Jareo don't have no need to ever come here again. I've had my fill of ice and cold and snow. Give me a warm beach, some warm water and a warm man." Then she winked at Obi-Wan.  
  
Obi-Wan laughed and, putting his hand on her shoulder, gave her a gentle shake.  
  
"If it were in my power, Auna, I would give you all those things and more."  
  
"Well," she said, tilting her head and blinking her violet eyes flirtatiously, "if ya weren't already spoken for, ya could provide the last part of my wish list."  
  
"Oh, no," he said, laughing louder. "You're too much woman for me, Auna."  
  
"Yeah, ya right, I am," Auna agreed, and she laughed too.  
  
Obi-Wan saw the flap of Big Yezun's audience tent opening. Whiphids were streaming out of it. Obi-Wan's face sobered when he saw Zaka and Big Yezun walking over to him. He straightened his shoulders. Once they had stopped, Obi-Wan bowed to Big Yezun. The chief inclined his head, then turned to Zaka and spoke to him. Zaka nodded his head in time to the chief's words. Once he was done, Zaka looked over at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Big Yezun say Je-di should not be...." then Zaka stopped as if searching for the right word in Basic ".....ashamed about killing White Eyes. Big Yezun say White Eyes evil. Deserve die. Je-di do good thing. Isn't that what Je-di do?"  
  
Obi-Wan swallowed thickly. "Tell Big Yezun that the Jedi...that we try not to kill if it can be avoided. That life...all life is sacred to us."  
  
Zaka translated Obi-Wan's words. Big Yezun narrowed his eyes and stared at Obi-Wan. Then he spoke to Zaka, his words coming fast and hard. He sniffed scornfully at Obi-Wan and, turning, went back into his tent.  
  
"That didn't sound too good," Auna said. "What did he say?"  
  
"Big Yezun ask how Je-di hope to protect life-bearers and seedlings from beasts like White Eyes if Je-di afraid to kill beasts? Beasts not believe life sacred. They kill. If Je-di not kill beasts, then beasts will kill and kill and kill. Big Yezun say he glad he not Je-di. He say he feel sorry for your life-bearer and little flower. He say if beast try to kill them, you will let them die for fear of killing beast."  
  
Obi-Wan kept his face composed but he felt as if he had been punched in the chest. He looked over at Auna. Her eyes were wide and he saw she was about to say something, but he raised his hand to silence her. Then he turned to Zaka. He cleared his throat.  
  
"What is going to happen to you, Zaka?" Obi-Wan asked, struggling to keep his voice smooth despite the hard beating of his heart, despite the whirling in his mind brought on by Big Yezun's words. "Have you been banished?"  
  
"No, Zaka not banished. Since Big Yezun get White Eyes head, he not care Je- di had weapon." Then Zaka reached up and rubbed the back of his big hairy neck. "But, if okay with Je-di, Zaka still want go back to stars."  
  
"It's fine with me, Zaka. How about you, Auna?"  
  
"Sure, he can come. Just as long as we leave, okay? I'm ready to get off this iceball."  
  
"So am I," Obi-Wan said softly. "I'll get Sinja-Bau and meet you at the ship."  
  
"Come on, Zaka," Auna said as she started marching through the snow to the ship. "You can help me prep her."  
  
Obi-Wan went to the tent where Sinja-Bau was still sleeping. He gently picked her up and, as he carried her to Auna's ship, tried to forget what Big Yezun had said to him. But he could not.  
  
----------------  
  
"What's the matter with ya, Master Kenboi?"  
  
Obi-Wan tore his gaze away from the starless emptiness that was hypersapce. They were on Auna's ship and finally on their way back to Lianna. Zaka was in the rear of the ship, doing some chores Auna had assigned him and which he had been more than eager to do. Sinja-Bau was sleeping in the cabin. Obi- Wan was sitting in the co-pilot seat in the cockpit. He looked away from the window and over at Auna.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Ya been awful quiet since we left Toola."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed, his hands rubbing along his pants. "It's Douro."  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"I didn't have to kill him, Auna. I could have saved Sinja-Bau's life without having to kill him."  
  
Auna didn't say anything for a moment. "Ya still thinking about what Big Yezun said, aren't ya? Well, are ya sure you could have avoided killing him?"  
  
"Yes. No. I'm not sure." He shook his head and sighed. "I don't know what's happened to me, Auna. I've never felt so...unsure of myself. Not since I was a boy."  
  
Auna shrugged. "Seems plain enough to me what's happened to ya."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Yar in love, that's what." Then, at the look on Obi-Wan's face, Auna snorted.  
  
"What? Did ya think it was going to be nothing but soft sighs and tender kisses? Love ain't for the weak and it ain't for the timid, Master Kenobi. Not real love anyways. Love is the anvil on which we all are beaten. People have started wars for love, killed themselves for love, strove with the devil herself for love."  
  
She narrowed her violet eyes and stared hard at him.  
  
"Ya know, Master Kenobi, I fear ya might have to make a decision, and pretty soon I warrant, that's probably not going to be easy for ya. Hell, it might even be the hardest, most important decision of ya life. It's what I was talking about before. If ya had to kill to save Onara and yar wee one, would you do it?"  
  
Then she shrugged. "Guess that question's been answered because, like it or not, ya have killed. And personally, beating ya self up for killing the likes of someone like Douro strikes me as pretty stupid, but that's just me. If it had been me that killed him, I would have used his head for a ball and kicked it all over Toola. Anybody that kills women and children, in my opinion, don't deserve your fine Jedi sensibilities.  
  
"But, since ya have killed, the question now is what are ya going to do? Because, this is a dangerous universe, and ya being a Jedi Knight and all, ya probably know that better than anyone. Ya got Sinja-Bau like ya set out to do and something tells me she's gonna save yar lady love, but what happens after that? What happens when Onara or the wee one's life is in danger again, but the choices ain't so clear? When it really comes down to their lives or yar Jedi principles?"  
  
"Are you saying I can't love Onara or Ben and still be a Jedi?"  
  
"What do ya think?"  
  
Obi-Wan didn't answer. He stared back into Auna's shrewd violet eyes, then looked away and continued his contemplation of the infinite emptiness that surrounded them.  
  
-----------  
  
"Take it, Master Kenobi. It's the least I can do for having delayed you with my little deception. Auna told me the nature of your mission and why it was so important you find Sinja-Bau."  
  
Obi-Wan, Jareo, Auna, Zaka and Sinja-Bau were at the starport of the capital of Lianna. After having landed at the starport, Obi-Wan had immediately made his way over to his ship and began prepping it for take- off. He had only a week to make it back to Ahjane before Onara's time was up and it was a week flying time from Lianna to Ahjane. While he had been preparing the ship, Auna had gone to the starport control center to contact Jareo and let him know she was back. Zaka had remained behind to help Obi- Wan keep an eye on Sinja-Bau. She was now awake and had a distressing habit of wandering away while Obi-Wan was busy getting the ship ready. Zaka had proven a very reliable baby-sitter in that respect.  
  
Now, Jareo was at the starport and he was gesturing towards a large box sitting on a repulsor-cart. Inside the box was a Corellian Engineering Corporation hyperlight stardrive he had brought over from his storage area at the starport. Jareo was offering it to Obi-Wan to replace the stardrive in the ship Anakin had borrowed from Chancellor Palpatine. Obi-Wan hesitated because he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of modifying a ship that didn't belong to him, but the hyperlight engine would get him to Ahjane in half the time.  
  
"The ship is not mine, Jareo," Obi-Wan told him.  
  
"Well, if it'll make you feel any better, I'll have Auna put the original stardrive in the box and you can take it with you," the burly, black- bearded man said. "Once you return the ship, the owner can either keep the hyperlight stardrive or put the other one back in."  
  
That sounded reasonable to Obi-Wan. He turned to Auna. "How long will it take you to install the new stardrive?"  
  
"Not long, Master Kenboi," she said with a wide grin. "I'll have ya out of here in no time. I'll get started on it right away."  
  
She went over to the repulsor-cart. "C'mon, Zaka, you can help."  
  
Zaka joined her and the two of them guided the cart over to the ship.  
  
"While they're working on the ship, Master Kenobi, why don't you and Mistress Sinja-Bau join me in the starport lounge. You both look like you could use some decent food."  
  
"Thank you, Jareo," Obi-Wan said as he took Sinja-Bau's elbow.  
  
Jareo led them to the starport lounge and told Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau the both of them could order whatever they wanted. It was on him. Obi-Wan wasn't hungry, but he knew Sinja-Bau had only had a bowl of mush at the Whiphid camp. He ordered a large salad for her since she had basically ignored Jareo's request regarding what she wanted to eat.  
  
Just as a droid-waitress brought the salad over, Auna marched into the lounge. There were smudges on her face and worksuit and a deep frown on her face. She stopped at the table the three were sitting at and placed a circular object in front of Obi-Wan.  
  
"Did ya know that was on yar ship, Master Kenobi?"  
  
Obi-Wan recognized the object. It was a tracking device. He frowned as he looked at it. Then he looked up at Auna.  
  
"No, I didn't," he said evenly, but his mind was whirling with the implications. Anakin said he had borrowed the ship from Chancellor Palpatine, but Obi-Wan was certain Anakin was not aware of the existence of the tracking device.  
  
"What do you want me to do with it?" Auna asked him.  
  
"Store it in the ship. I'll take it back with me."  
  
"Will do," she said taking the tracking device off the table. "Yar be ready to leave soon, Master Kenobi. Almost done with the installation of the hyperlight engine."  
  
"Thank you, Auna."  
  
She nodded and turning left the lounge.  
  
"Looks like somebody wanted to keep an eye on?" Jareo said with a shrewd look.  
  
"Yes, it does," Obi-Wan agreed, his brow furrowed.  
  
He sighed. He would worry about the tracking device and what it meant once he got back to Ahjane and Onara was safe. Sinja-Bau finished her salad and, as she ate, Obi-Wan noted she had been very quiet of late. They returned to the starport hanger where his ship was docked. As they approached the ship, Auna walked over wiping all four of her hands, Zaka trailing behind her.  
  
"All done, Master Kenobi," she said smiling. "Ya shouldn't notice any difference in the handling of the ship, but ya will get to Ahjane a mite faster."  
  
"Thank you, Auna. And thank you, Jareo."  
  
"As I said, it's my gift to you for having played that little trick on you. Now, get going and save that lovely lady of yours."  
  
Obi-Wan bowed to Jareo. He walked over to Auna and took two of her hands.  
  
"Thank you," he said again, but this time he put all the depth of his gratitude into his voice as he looked deep into her violet eyes and gripped her hands.  
  
Auna squeezed his hands back and Obi-Wan was surprised to see tears welling in her eyes.  
  
"Oh, what the heck!" she cried.  
  
She grabbed him with her other pair of hands and gave him a hard, quick kiss on the mouth. She released him and pulled away, her cheeks flaming.  
  
"That's...uh...for yar wee one," she said, glaring over at Jareo who was grinning broadly at her.  
  
Obi-Wan reached over and stroked her cheek. She turned away from Jareo and looked at him.  
  
"May the Force be with you, Auna," he said softly.  
  
"Thank ya, Master Kenobi."  
  
"Obi-Wan."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Call me, Obi-Wan."  
  
Auna shook her head. "Nah, I couldn't do that. But, next time I see ya, and I do plan on seeing ya cause I'd like to meet that lady love of yars and the wee one, I'll call ya by that name."  
  
"Fair enough," Obi-Wan said, smiling.  
  
He turned to the Whiphid and, reaching over, clasped his big, hairy arm.  
  
"Zaka. My friend. Do you still wish to come with me?"  
  
"Zaka will always be Je-di friend. But, if okay with Je-di, Zaka stay here with Auna. Zaka like Auna."  
  
"Yeah, and I like ya too, even if ya are a lunkhead," she said grinning as she dug him in the side with her elbows.  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at Jareo. He smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Auna says he's a good apprentice-mechanic and I could use another bodyguard."  
  
Obi-Wan looked back at Zaka. "Good luck, Zaka. May the Force be with you."  
  
"Thank you, Je-di. Zaka not forget you."  
  
"Nor I you."  
  
"All right, all right, enough with the smarmy good-byes," Auna said quickly. "Master Kenobi's got a timetable to meet."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at her. He looked over to where Sinja-Bau was standing a little distance from the group. He felt a chill slide down his spine at the look on her face. Her eyes were wide and terrified and she was shaking. He quickly went over to her.  
  
"Sinja-Bau, what's wrong?"  
  
At first she didn't answer. She continued to stare sightlessly into space. Then she finally looked into his eyes.  
  
"Hurry, we must. Hurry, hurry," she cried urgently.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"I see...I see water. No, it's an ocean, but the water is the color of blood." She stopped, then grabbed his arms.  
  
"Red tide," she whispered. "I see a red tide."  
  
Obi-Wan looked down into Sinja-Bau's mad blue-green eyes. He glanced over at the others. Jareo, Zaka and Auna were all looking at him with the same perplexed expressions. Obi-Wan looked back at Sinja-Bau.  
  
"Red tide? I'm sorry, Sinja-Bau, I don't know what you mean."  
  
"The red tide! It comes, it comes. Hurry, hurry we must! They drown in it. They all drown", she cried, dropping her face into her hands and shuddering.  
  
Auna walked over and put her hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.  
  
"Master Kenobi, now ya know I ain't set much store by what she's said since I met her, but I don't like the sound of that. Ya better get going.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. He took Sinja-Bau by the arm. She was still shivering and mumbling the words 'red tide' under her breath. As he guided her up the ramp of the ship, he turned and waved goodbye to the others. They all waved back. Once inside the ship, he sealed the door. His inclination was to take Sinja-Bau to the ship's single cabin, but she was so afraid, he decided to take her with him to the cockpit.  
  
He fastened her securely into the co-pilot seat. Getting into the pilot seat, he buckled himself in and activated the ship for take-off. Once he got clearance from the starport authorities to leave, he blasted off from Lianna. Soon he was in the inky blackness of space. He activated the nav computer, put in the coordinates for Ahjane and engaged the hyperlight stardrive. Based on the engine's capacities, the nav computer indicated they would make planetfall on Ahjane in three days.  
  
And, as Sinja-Bau sat next to him, rocking in time to her frantic mantra regarding the red tide, Obi-Wan hoped that three days would no be too late. For, although he had no idea what she was muttering about, there was not doubt it terrified her, and Obi-Wan himself felt a faint, but definite, disturbance in the Force.  
  
To be continued... 


	32. Part ThirtyTwo

------------  
  
Lady Tsara frowned as she watched Jerule accept the latest communiqué from the borders of Kindah Province. He quickly read it over, then handed it to her. She snatched it from his hand. Glancing over it she read that K'lia's forces, just as she had predicated, had been deployed, at the request of the Assembly, along the border of Kindah Province to answer the threat of Jerule's forces. In addition, she herself had just received a message from her informant within K'lia's manor that the Assembly guards had been pulled from the manor and sent to the border. She looked up from the paper.  
  
"All is ready, Jerule," she said to him. "The Assembly guards are gone. That leaves only the Jedi and the security droids."  
  
"And your supporter within the manor----"  
  
"Will take care of the security droids once I send him the signal," Tsara said with a smile.  
  
Jerule smiled back, his eyes firing with lust. "And then Onara will be mine."  
  
"Once the Count's friend has 'cured' her, of course." Tsara added.  
  
Jerule's face darkened for a moment. "Yes, once he has cured her," he repeated duly.  
  
"Now, now, Jerule, don't despair. Yes, according to the Count, Onara will no longer be herself after his friend has gotten his hands on her, but she had always been terribly willful and disobedient. Just as stubborn and headstrong as that slut that was her mother. I still don't see what K'lia saw in that woman. Trust me, you would not want such qualities in a wife. And, really Jerule, I'm sure you weren't interested in having long, philosophical discussions with Onara, now where you?"  
  
Jerule remained silent as looked at her long and hard, his black eyes narrowing.  
  
"And it's not her mind you're interested in, now is it?" Tsara went on with a shrewd smile.  
  
"No," Jerule finally agreed. "It's not her mind that interests me."  
  
"Good. Then we are, as they say, on the same page."  
  
Tsara laid the communiqué aside and went over to stand in front of the window of Jerule's study in what had once been Edress's manor. That fool had been buried some days ago. Tsara had advised Jerule to keep the funeral as small and low-key as possible. No point in letting it be a rallying cry for any dissidents still upset that Edress's nephew had been passed over as Dynast of Kindah Province.  
  
Tsara frowned. Edress's nephew was nothing like his uncle. Dalan was well- loved by the people of his province for he was kind and compassionate. Unlike his uncle, he had tried to live as simply as possible although he had inherited some rich lands from his deceased mother, Edress's sister. However, Dalan had allocated much of those lands to those who had lost their farms or property during the war. He was a few years older than Onara and still unmarried. On the advice of his supporters, Dalan remained sequestered at his estate. Tsara had told Jerule to forbid Dalan from attending Edress's funeral for his appearance would only have served as a lightning rod for any unrest.  
  
Now, as Tsara watched the sun dipping behind the red-tinged hills of Jerule's estate, she decided that once her affairs were settled regarding K'lia and her great-grandson, she was going to see about having Dalan killed. No sense in leaving such a potentially dangerous rival alive.  
  
"Lady Tsara."  
  
Tsara blinked her eyes and turned back to Jerule.  
  
"The Red Tide? Will they be ready?" he asked.  
  
She smiled as she walked over to him.  
  
"Oh, yes. They've been ready. And I have a surprise for you, Jerule. You and I are going to accompany them."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're not afraid, are you?" Tsara asked scornfully.  
  
"Afraid? No, of course not. But I don't see why we should---."  
  
"Jerule, if you are going to be a leader, it is necessary sometimes to take matters into your own hands. You must not leave everything up to subordinates. That is a good way to wind up dead, like Edress."  
  
"Yes, I understand that, but still---."  
  
"You're going!" Tsara snapped. "There will be no more discussion about it. Understood!"  
  
"Yes, Lady Tsara, of course."  
  
Tsara smiled, but her eyes were as black and cold as the entrance to hell.  
  
"Good. Now, take heed, Jerule, for I will tell you this only once. Those who defy me, disregard my advice, or humiliate me, in the end are destroyed. All of them."  
  
Jerule swallowed heavily and nodded to Tsara. "I understand, Lady Tsara."  
  
Tsara reached over and patted his check, pleased to see him almost recoil from her touch, then stand still as her hand stroked his face.  
  
"I'm glad to see we understand each other, Jerule."  
  
She drew her hand away and, with a swirl of her dark robes, left Jerule alone in his study. As she walked down the corridor to her room, her wrinkled lips curled up. Poor fool. Not only was Jerule not going to get his hands on Onara, whom Tsara did not plan to have survive the raid, but he wasn't going to survive it either. Many would be killed in the confusion when the Red Tide invaded K'lia's manor. Tsara had arranged with Rhad that one of them would be Jerule.  
  
Once Jerule was dead, along with Edress's nephew, Kindah Province would be leaderless. In the turmoil that followed, as the nobles fought among themselves as to who should rule, Tsara, once K'lia was dead, her great- grandson installed as Dynast and she declared his Regent, would take advantage of the confusion, invade Kindah Province and declare her great- grandson its new ruler, incorporating Kindah Province within theirs. The first step in her great-grandson eventually ruling all of Ahjane.  
  
Tsara laughed softly as she turned a corner. A servant, who was scrubbing the floor, glanced up at the sound, but at the glare Tsara gave her, quickly lowered her head and went back to work. Tsara swept past the drudge, the edge of her gown swishing over the floor. She couldn't wait until all was done and she could report her success to Count Dooku. He would be so proud of her.  
  
---------------  
  
Anakin glanced over at Onara's bed. He was standing near one of the windows of her bedchamber. K'lia was with Onara and was gently adjusting the bedcovers around her. The last few days her strength had once again waned, but this time there seemed no hope of her recovering. Master Eo had examined her and, after he was done, taken Anakin aside and told him there was nothing more he could do. It was only a matter of days now. Anakin had argued that Onara's month wasn't up yet, but Eo had gently chided him, reminding him that the practice of medicine was not an exact science.  
  
Ben had been in earlier, but Onara was so weak she hadn't been able to hold him or play with him. Master Eo had taken the baby back to the nursery where he now stood guard over him. Anakin was glad he had. Even though Ben was not quite a month old, he seemed more aware of what was going on around him than most babies his age. Although Anakin had to yet hear Ben cry, it was apparent Onara's weakening condition was affecting the baby. His blue- gray eyes were dimmer and he appeared listless.  
  
Anakin sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. With the Assembly guards now gone, pulled away so they could join the forces now massed on the border of Kindah Province, only he and Master Eo, along with the security droids, remained as protection for Onara and Ben. There had still been no sign or word regarding Lady Tsara, but Anakin knew the old spider was somewhere, quietly spinning her web of vengeance, spitefully intent on enacting her revenge against those who had wronged her and, in the process, snaring innocent little Ben in the strands of her malevolence.  
  
Anakin lowered his arms, his hand straying to his lightsaber where it was clipped securely to his utility belt. He thought about how Obi-Wan sometimes had to remind him to keep his lightsaber close at hand. Then, at the thought of his master, Anakin's chest clenched and he wondered if Obi- Wan was still alive, if he had found Sinja-Bau and if---and Anakin hoped with all his heart it was so---he was even now on his way back to Ahjane.  
  
"Oh, Father, I do so hate being an invalid. And I'm taking you away from your duties."  
  
Anakin turned from where he had been looking out the window of Onara's bedroom, watching the security droids as they patrolled the grounds. Onara was still unaware of what had happened; of Edress's death, of Jerule's ascension as Dynast, of his demand for her and Ben's return to Kindah Province and, now, of the threat of war that loomed over them all. K'lia had expressly forbade anyone from speaking to her about such things.  
  
"Simtro is doing an excellent job of sifting through what comes over my desk, Onara," Anakin heard K'lia say. "What is important I attend to. And what is unimportant," and K'lia touched Onara on the tip of her nose and winked, "which is most of what a Dynast deals with, I let others take care of. But you, my dear, are one hundred percent important."  
  
"Father, you're such a flatterer," Onara said and Anakin heard the smile in her frail voice.  
  
"How do you think I won your mother?" K'lia replied smiling. "I was old even what I courted her. And she...  
  
Klia's face softened. "She was as young and beautiful as a spring morning. Our courtship was considered unseemly by some, especially your grandmother, because of the differences in our age, but it wasn't just your mother's loveliness that drew me to her. Her spirit was like a flame, bright and fierce." K'lia chuckled. "And tired, old moth that I was, I flew straight towards the light that she was. But I was not burned. No, I was reborn and the years I spent with your mother, brief though they were, were the happiest of my life."  
  
Onara sighed. "If only I hadn't been born, then you and Mother could have--- -"  
  
"No, never say that," K'lia said sternly. "Your mother lived long enough to hold you in her arms and if you had seen the look on her face when she gazed upon you." K'lia stopped and shook his head. "Even for that moment, as short-lived as it was, she loved you, little one. Loved you more than life itself. And she would not have changed a thing. Not a thing."  
  
"I wish I had known her."  
  
K'lia reached over and kissed Onara on her forehead.  
  
"Look in a mirror, my child," he said softly. "You will see your mother there."  
  
Onara looked warmly up at her father, then her face sobered.  
  
"Father?"  
  
"Yes, my darling one?"  
  
"Will you do me a favor?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"When Obi-Wan comes back....will you tell him that I love him. And that I'm grateful for what he did in trying to save me."  
  
K'lia swallowed and squeezed Onara's hand. "You will tell himself yourself, little one."  
  
"No, Father. I will not. I will never see him again," Onara replied, her voice trembling.  
  
Anakin then saw tears welling in her dark eyes. A lump formed quickly in his throat.  
  
"You will, Onara. Don't say such things," K'lia urged her.  
  
"Oh, Father, I'm trying to hold on," Onara went on in a low, soft voice. "I am trying so very hard to hold on."  
  
"I know you are, Onara. But you must continue to hold on. Master Kenobi is coming back. I know he is. And he will bring Master Sinja-Bau with him. And she will cure you."  
  
Onara slowly shook her head, causing the tears to spill from her eyes.  
  
"Please, Father, tell Obi-Wan I love him. And tell Ben... tell him every day of his life that his Mommy loved him."  
  
"Onara," K'lia began, then he broke down and wept.  
  
Tears burned Anakin's eyes. He turned away from K'lia and Onara, the pain like a vise around his chest. He looked through the window, out into the night and up at the stars that dotted the heavens.  
  
_Hurry, Master, hurry_.  
  
-----------------  
  
"Hello, Dad."  
  
Obi-Wan looked down at the man who lay on the blood-stained sheets of the cot. They were in what looked like a hastily thrown-together field hospital. There were cots lined up on both sides of the metal-walled room. Most of the cots were filled with wounded, male and females, of myriad species. All of them were young and were dressed in uniforms or what looked to Obi-Wan like orange flight suits. A few healers, along with their assistants, were moving among the patients, checking their vitals, handing out medications or changing bandages.  
  
Obi-Wan turned back to the man who had spoken to him. Like some of the other patients he was dressed in a smudged orange flight suit. He looked to be about twenty-two. He had thick black hair, a neat black beard, which barely hid a deep cleft in his strong chin, and startling blue-gray eyes. He was wearing a bacta bandage around his head.  
  
"Ben?" he said hesitantly.  
  
The man laughed softly. "Are you sure it wasn't you who got hit on the head, Dad?"  
  
Obi-Wan frowned. He looked down at himself. He wasn't in his Jedi uniform or in the black clothing he had worn to Lianna. Instead he was in what looked like a military uniform. There were various medals he was unfamiliar with pinned to his left chest. He saw that his hands, where they rested on his thighs, were lined and age-spotted. He looked back at his son.  
  
"Are you all right, Ben?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyes fixed on the bandage around his head.  
  
Ben smiled, but winced a bit as he did so. "The healers say I should be up and around in a day or so."  
  
"That's good to hear."  
  
Ben reached over and put his hand on Obi-Wan's arm.  
  
"Now, you have to promise, Dad, not to say a word about this to Mom. I don't want her scolding me in her next holomessage."  
  
"Onara? Are you talking about Onara?"  
  
Ben shook his head and laughed. "Maybe I should call one of the healers over to check on you. Of course, I'm talking about her. Who else would I be talking about?"  
  
"Where is she? Is she here?"  
  
Ben stared at Obi-Wan for a long moment. Then he frowned. "Are you sure you're all right, Dad?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess."  
  
Ben gripped Obi-Wan's arm. "You should get some rest."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. He was terribly confused. Where was he? Then he heard an explosion from outside the building. It shook the walls slightly and bits of metallic dust rained down from the ceiling.  
  
"They're not going to let up, are they?" Ben cried. "And shelling a hospital." He scowled, his blue-gray eyes narrowing fiercely. "They should have taken a lesson from the last pasting we gave them, right Dad? Well, when I'm out of here, I'm going to make sure they finally learn that lesson."  
  
Obi-Wan was about to ask who 'they' were when another blast, this time much closer, rocked the building. The lights flickered off and, moments later, blood-red back-up lights came on. Obi-Wan looked around. A beam had fallen from the ceiling and onto one of the cots. People were gathered around it, trying to lift it off the patient. Obi-Wan was about to go and help, when there was another explosion, except this time it was inside the building. Obi-Wan instinctively threw himself over his son's body to protect him from the falling debris and then there was blackness.  
  
"Ben!"  
  
"My brother, are you all right?"  
  
Obi-Wan opened his eyes. He was in the cockpit of the ship Anakin had borrowed from Chancellor Palpatine. He must have dozed off. He hadn't slept much during the flight from Lianna. He looked over. Sinja-Bau, who had been sleeping in the cabin, was standing next to him, her hand on his shoulder. He saw that her blue-green eyes were clear and her voice smooth and lucid.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine," he said quickly. "I must have fallen asleep."  
  
She smiled and sat next to him in the co-pilot seat.  
  
"It was good you slept. You need your rest."  
  
Obi-Wan eyed her as he rubbed the sleep from his face. Sinja-Bau was apparently experiencing one of her, as she called them, eyes in the storm of her madness. During the last two days of their flight, she'd had several of them, most lasting only a few minutes, but one had lasted for nearly an hour and during that time Obi-Wan had told her all that had happened on Coruscant and in the Jedi Order since her expulsion fifteen years ago. She had been especially devastated to learn of Qui-Gon's death and the re- emergence of the Sith.  
  
"What were you dreaming about," she asked him. "If you don't mind sharing it, of course."  
  
"No, I don't mind. I was dreaming about my son."  
  
Sinja-Bau smiled. "A good dream, I hope."  
  
Obi-Wan had also told her, during her hour of lucidity, about Onara and Ben.  
  
He frowned. "It was both good and bad. But, he wasn't a baby in my dream. He was a grown-man. We were in a hospital. A field hospital. Ben had been injured. The hospital was being bombarded by enemy fire. But, I don't know who or what we were fighting."  
  
"You've dreamt about him before?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
And that was all Obi-Wan said, for he did not like to think about that other dream. The dream where Ben had wanted to kill him, blaming him for Onara's death.  
  
"Sinja-Bau?"  
  
"Yes, my brother?"  
  
"Do you believe that dreams can foretell the future?"  
  
"Some Jedi are prescient. Are you not one of them?"  
  
"I'm aware of the future. I can sense it, looming beneath the horizon like the sun just before the dawn, but I've never had visions about it."  
  
Sinja-Bau sighed. She folded her hands in her lap.  
  
"You've told me that when I'm in the grip of my madness, I tell you about visions I've had. Of the Temple in flames. Of Jedi dead or dying on worlds scattered throughout the Republic. Of two black shapes whose shadows encompass the galaxy."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded.  
  
"Do you believe these visions?"  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. "I don't know. They sound so..."  
  
"Insane," Sinja-Bau offered with a small smile.  
  
"I was going to say fantastic."  
  
"Same difference." Sinja-Bau shook her head and looked out at the inky blackness of hyperspace. "Dreams. Visions. Same difference," she repeated softly. "But, to answer your question, I don't know, my brother. The future is the county to which all of us are headed, but none of us has ever visited. And, once we arrive there, it is soon the past."  
  
She reached over and squeezed his hand. "Do not trouble yourself about your dreams or about the future for it will unravel as it is meant to. Concentrate on the moment, my brother. Keep your focus on the here and now."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled. "You sound just like Master Qui-Gon."  
  
Sinja-Bau returned his smile. "A wise man, your master was."  
  
Then Obi-Wan's heart turned over as he saw the madness swirling once again in her eyes. It always happened this way, like a thick blanket falling over her mind, heavy and suffocating. She was still holding his hand, but now she was squeezing it hard.  
  
"It comes. It comes," she gibbered. "The red tide. It comes."  
  
To be continued.... 


	33. Part ThirtyThree

First Knight - Part Thirty-Three  
  
------------  
  
It was the evening of the following day. As the sun sank slowly beneath the horizon and the sky darkened and the shadows lengthened, Anakin Skywalker, apprentice to the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, stood in front of a window in the bedchamber of Onara Gavon, only child of Dynast K'lia Gavon of Destani Province on the planet Ahjane. The wind, which had been warm all day, had cooled and it gently ruffled the hair of the young Jedi.  
  
Anakin stood guard, as he had ever since Obi-Wan had left nearly a month ago in search of the ex-Jedi Sinja Bau. He stood and he watched and he listened. He cast his senses out through the Force, attuning himself to the life that surrounded him, readying himself for whatever danger might arise to threaten the woman his master loved and the child she had borne him. But, even then, he still was not prepared for what finally came.  
  
Later, Anakin would not be able to determine whether it was the lights going out that had followed the screams or the screams that had preceded the darkness or, perhaps, both had happened at the same time. But, soon, the screams and the darkness became one.  
  
Anakin whirled away from the window, unclipping his lightsaber from his belt. The only lights in Onara's bedchamber now came from two small glowlamps; one on a nightstand next to her bed, the other on her dressing table. Onara, whose strength was nearly gone now, stirred in her sleep as the screams and shouts echoing through the manor grew louder.  
  
Anakin ran to the door of the sitting room and flung it open. There were no lights, but his eyes quickly adjusted to the dark. The sitting room was empty, but he could hear running feet and shouts coming from beyond the closed door. His instinct was to run out into the hall, but he knew his place was to remain with Onara and guard her.  
  
He ran back into the bedchamber and over to the windows. He quickly shuttered and locked them and, as he did, saw that the security droids that had been patrolling the grounds were now lying, inactive, on the grass. He turned and saw Onara was awake. Her eyes were wide as she looked over at him.  
  
"Anakin, what's happening?" she asked weakly.  
  
"I don't know, Onara, but don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
"Ben! What about Ben?"  
  
"Master Eo is with him."  
  
Anakin heard more shouts and screams coming from behind the door of the sitting room. His heart pounded in his chest, the blood rushing through his veins. He snatched his comlink from his belt and tried to raise Master Eo on it. All he heard was static.  
  
"It's being jammed," he cried as he put it back onto his belt.  
  
More screams came from beyond the door. Anakin's instinct was to run and help, but he had promised Obi-Wan he would look after Onara and he could only hope Master Eo was doing the same with Ben. Then Anakin heard a sound that made his blood turn to ice. It was the sound of a baby crying. No, not just crying. Wailing, as if he were in pain or terrified or both.  
  
"Ben!" Onara screamed.  
  
Anakin's heart pounded even harder in his chest. Ben, who had not cried once since the day of his birth, was now crying as if the devil herself was holding him. And, Anakin suddenly realized, she probably was.  
  
"Ben, darling! Mommy's coming. Don't cry, Mommy's coming!"  
  
He looked over, his heart constricting, as Onara pushed herself, weak and frail as she was, to a sitting position in the bed. Sweat poured down her face, her arms trembled violently and her dark eyes were wide. She succeeded in getting her feet onto the floor but, as there was no strength in her body, she collapsed in a heap and could only lay on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Anakin ran over to her.  
  
"I can't protect him, Anakin," she cried as he picked her up. "Oh, gods, I can't protect my baby!"  
  
Anakin shushed her as he placed her gently back onto the bed.  
  
"Go, Anakin, please," Onara whispered up at him, her face twisted with fear and grief. "Save my baby. It's Grandmother. I know it's her. She has Ben."  
  
"But I can't leave you. Master Obi-Wan told me to protect you."  
  
Onara put her hands on Anakin's arms, squeezing them as much as her weakened condition would allow.  
  
"I'm going to die anyway. But you must save Ben. Please, Anakin. Please!"  
  
Anakin nodded. "Try to stay quiet. You should be all right. It's only Ben Tsara wants."  
  
Onara shook her head. "Go, Anakin, go," she urged him, pushing weakly at his chest.  
  
Anakin turned and ran out of the bedchamber. He opened the door of the sitting room, then closed it behind him. The corridor was dark and empty. He could hear no more shouts or screams, but the very air thrummed with danger. And with death. Reaching out with the Force, he sensed fear and hatred and what felt like a cold, malicious intelligence controlling everything.  
  
He heard Ben crying again, but the sound was coming from downstairs. Anakin activated his lightsaber and ran down the corridor towards the main staircase. He wondered what had happened to Master Eo. He knew the Jedi Healer would have done everything in his power to prevent Ben from being taken. Anakin quickly shook his head to clear his mind. He needed to focus. Then he stopped when he saw a lump on the floor in front of him. He ran over and, by his lightsaber's green glow, saw what it was.  
  
"K'lia," Anakin cried as he knelt down.  
  
The elderly man was covered in blood. In his hand was an ornately decorated dagger, more of a ceremonial piece than anything truly dangerous. He had obviously tried to defend himself with it, but the blade was unstained. Anakin reached over and put his fingers on K'lia's neck. He felt nothing, except skin that was even now beginning to cool.  
  
Anakin lowered his head, both grief and anger swirling in his heart. The urge to run back and protect Onara from K'lia's killer or killers was like a bell ringing loudly inside him. Then he heard Ben crying again, but this time the sound was coming from outside the manor. Anakin rose up, the rage he felt at K'lia's death and at Ben's terror a fire in his blood and one name burned like an inferno in his mind. _Tsara_.  
  
Anakin raced to the staircase but, just as he was about to run down it, something slammed into him, knocking him down the stairs. He tumbled down, his lightsaber flying from his hand. Once he landed at the bottom, he quickly rolled up and reached for his lightsaber, but it was nowhere to be seen. He glanced up to see what had hit him and watched, stunned, as a dark figure leapt from the top of the staircase towards him.  
  
-----------  
  
Obi-Wan glared at the manager of the starport. Just prior to landing on Ahjane he had tried to contact Anakin and Master Eo to let them know he was back and to check on Onara's condition, but had been distressed to discover communications at the manor was being jammed. After securing the ship and taking Sinja-Bau with him, he had gone to the starport's central building.  
  
He had once again tried to contact Anakin and Eo using the starport's communications equipment, but with no success. The Force was screaming in Obi-Wan's mind. and he was desperate to get to the manor, but the starport manager was now telling him there was no one available to take him or any vehicles around for him to use.  
  
"Haven't you heard what's happened?" the manager went on, his fleshy face greasy with sweat, his eyes darting between Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau. "Dynast Jerule is about to declare war!"  
  
"Dynast Jerule? What happened to Edress?"  
  
"Edress is dead. When Jerule became Dynast he demanded the return of Lady Onara and her son to Kindah Province, claiming Onara was now his wife. Dynast K'lia refused. Now Jerule has massed his troops on the border. That's why there are no vehicles here for you to use. All available vehicles are being used to transport our troops to the border."  
  
Obi-Wan grabbed the man's arm. "What about the Assembly guards? The ones who were stationed at K'lia's manor?"  
  
The man squealed as Obi-Wan squeezed his arm.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," he bleated. "But if they were Assembly guards at the Dynast's manor, more than likely they were pulled to join the rest of the troops."  
  
"I need some type of transport. Now! I've got to get to the manor," Obi-Wan cried as he shook the man's arm.  
  
"And I just told you, we don't have anything," the manager retorted angrily.  
  
Then Obi-Wan felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned. Sinja-Bau, who had been strangely silent since their landing on Ahjane, was pulling on his sleeve and pointing to a window behind the manger's desk. Obi-Wan went over to the window and, looking out, saw glimmering in the brilliant night-lights of the starport a blue repulsor-car parked just outside the building. He turned back to the manager.  
  
"I thought you said you didn't have any vehicles," Obi-Wan said in a low, dangerous voice.  
  
"I d-d-don't," the man stammered. "Not to spare, anyway. That one belongs to me. I'm going to need it. In case Kindah Province invades."  
  
Obi-Wan quickly turned and, taking Sinja-Bau by the arm, left the manager's office. The manager ran after him, shouting and waving his arms, but Obi- Wan ignored him, along with the people who had stopped what they were doing to watch. Once they were at the vehicle, he helped Sinja-Bau into the passenger seat. Then, as he turned to get into the driver's seat, the manager grabbed his arm.  
  
"You can't take it," he shouted. "I won't let you!"  
  
"Your vehicle will be returned to you once I'm done with it," Obi-Wan said quietly as he stared hard at the man. "However, right now I am taking it. Therefore I would recommend, and quite strongly I might add, that you release me immediately and let me be on my way."  
  
The man glared at Obi-Wan for a moment but, apparently seeing something in the Jedi's eyes that suggested it would best if he backed down, and quickly, released Obi-Wan's arm.  
  
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said. "I promise to return it."  
  
He climbed into the seat, made sure Sinja-Bau was buckled in safely and, with a low roar of the repulsor-car's engine, sped away from the starport.  
  
--------------  
  
Anakin lurched to the side as the figure leapt down the stairs towards him. He desperately tried to see where his lightsaber had fallen, but in the shadows and darkness of the large vestibule of the manor, he saw nothing that resembled his weapon. The figure landed lightly next to him and laughed.  
  
"Looking for your little lightstick, Jedi? Can't fight without it, hmmm?"  
  
Anakin saw a young Ahjane male who was about his height, weight and age. Like most Ahjane he had black hair but even in the darkness Anakin could see his eyes were the color of storm clouds, a dark, thunderous gray.  
  
"Who are you?" Anakin cried. "What are you doing here? And why have you attacked these people?"  
  
"Who am I?" the youth grinned, his teeth large and white in his face. "My name is Rhad. Why I have attacked these people?" He shrugged. "It's my job. What am I doing here? To show you the way of pain, Jedi. Now, I hope you will prove better sport than the old man was."  
  
Anakin's heart kicked in his chest at Rhad's casual mention of K'lia's death. Rage surged through his veins and he lunged at Rhad. The Ahjane youth turned and swung his right leg hard into Anakin's side. Pain exploded along Anakin's ribs. Rhad followed the kick with a hard right hook, but Anakin managed to block it with his arm. Rhad sidekicked him again in the ribs, seeking to break them. Anakin bent over as pain flared through his body, then his head snapped back as Rhad's left fist uppercut into his chin. He wheeled back across the floor.  
  
"Come on, Jedi, you can do better than that," Rhad shouted, as he danced back, hands raised before him. "You'll be crippled before I even break a sweat!"  
  
Anakin struggled to catch his breath. Rhad was not only strong, he was as quick as any Jedi Anakin had faced in the contests at the Temple. The Ahjane boy advanced, lashing out with another right cross. Anakin blocked it with his hand, then slammed his fist into Rhad's left side. The Ahjane grunted, but quickly recovered and struck Anakin hard across the jaw with a wicked right hook.  
  
Anakin staggered back, his teeth rattling in his head as fell to the floor. As he rose to his feet, Rhad jumped and, flipping over Anakin, landed behind him. Anakin quickly turned to face him. Rhad elbowed him hard across the jaw. Anakin's head flew back and he nearly fell to the floor again.  
  
Quickly drawing in breath through his sore ribs, Anakin tried to focus his awareness so that he could call upon the Force, but Rhad was too fast. His blows and kicks were like lightning and just as deadly. A particularly powerful roundhouse kick to Anakin's already bruised side was followed, in blurring speed, with a right cross, a left, then another right cross. Anakin's head rang. Then before he could draw breath, Rhad whipped around and, leg high, whacked Anakin hard across the face with his foot. Anakin flew back and landed, his head cracking hard against the floor. His vision dimmed and time seemed to slow and, strangely enough, he suddenly heard a voice he hadn't heard in years.  
  
As part of his training as a Jedi, Anakin had been taught unarmed combat by a tiny, elderly, sweet-faced woman by the name of Master Karna. A field Jedi for many years, she had retired to become an instructor at the Temple.  
  
"Remember, Padawans," she had said in her soft, gentle voice as she had stood in the center of one of the Temple's many physical training centers. "The lightsaber is your life as your Masters have wisely told you but, like anything, it can be lost or destroyed. Therefore, in unarmed combat, you will have only your body and the five elements of which it is comprised."  
  
She had then held up her tiny right hand, counting off the elements with her fingers.  
  
"Earth. With it you are as immovable as the mountain or the tree. Water. Withdraw from your attacker, then respond like the wave crashing upon the shore. Fire. Perceive the right moment to attack, then become as a fireball. Air. Be the cloud of smoke that slips away when your opponent tries to grab it. And, finally, the Force. It is the source of everything. And that, my young ones, is where your power and your strength lies."  
  
Time resumed again and, in the darkened vestibule, as Anakin leapt to his feet to face off against Rhad, the taste of his blood like iron and fire in his mouth, all that he had learned over the past few years coalesced within him like the pieces of a puzzle falling into place to form the embodiment of the Force that was Anakin Skywalker.  
  
"Back for more," Rhad sneered as Anakin moved towards him. "You should stay down, Jedi. I'm only supposed to make you suffer, not kill you." Then Rhad shrugged and smiled. "However, if it's death you seek..."  
  
"I don't want to hurt you," Anakin said, blood tricking from the side of his mouth. "I just want the baby."  
  
Rhad shook his head. "Sorry. You're too late. Lady Tsara already has him."  
  
Then Anakin heard the sound of a speeder racing away from the manor.  
  
Rhad grinned. "Speaking of, there she goes now."  
  
Though Anakin could no longer hear Ben's terrified cries, the echo of them reverberated through his mind. Then, suddenly, an image flashed through his mind. It was of Obi-Wan, but he was old. Far older than he was now. He was kneeling on a floor in a black room and a young man was standing over him. The young man had dark hair and blue-gray eyes. A woman was standing near him. A woman as old as time and as merciless as death.  
  
"Mother, what shall I do with him?" Anakin heard the man he some how knew was Ben ask Lady Tsara.  
  
"What else should one do with a Jedi, my son. Kill him."  
  
"As you wish, Mother."  
  
Ben unclipped his lightsaber and ignited it. A blood-red blade leapt forth. He raised the lightsaber above his head.  
  
"Goodbye, Father. May you rot in hell."  
  
The red blade fell towards Obi-Wan.  
  
"NO!" Anakin shouted.  
  
The vision just as suddenly cleared and with it came a sudden influx of the Force into Anakin's body. Rhad, whose face betrayed his confusion at Anakin's sudden, harsh cry, quickly moved into a defensive stance as Anakin raced towards him. Anakin didn't know what the vision meant, but he sensed that whatever happened now between him and Rhad, it would either bring about that terrible vision or it would not.  
  
Anakin struck Rhad hard across the face with his elbow. The two exchanged a series of rapid kicks and blows, then Anakin swung his leg, sweeping Rhad's feet from under him. His heart thumped when he saw Rhad, as he lay on the floor, draw a dagger from a sheath on his hip.  
  
"You're going to die now, Jedi, orders be damned!"  
  
He jumped up and ran towards Anakin, but with the Force now flowing through him, Anakin easily dodged him. Rhad flew past him, crashing into the wall. He was on his feet in an instant, racing back towards Anakin, his dagger aimed at Anakin's chest.  
  
Anakin grabbed the arm holding the blade, twisted it and, as Rhad plowed into him, falling on top of him, plunged the knife into Rhad's chest. Rhad's eyes widened as the blade he was holding sank into his own heart. Blood bubbled along the edges of his mouth and his breath rasped in his chest.  
  
"Noooo," Rhad gasped.  
  
Anakin gazed, horrified, into Rhad's gray eyes as he watched the young Ahjane die. Then, as Rhad's body sank heavily and lifelessly onto his, Anakin quickly pushed him away. Rhad rolled onto his back, his dagger impaled inside his chest.  
  
Anakin stood up. He was trembling for he had never killed anyone this way before. Sweat poured down his face and chest and the smell of Rhad's blood was thick and cloying in his nostrils. He quickly turned and, leaning over, was sick for a moment. As he rose, wiping his mouth, he suddenly sensed the dark, cold absence in the Force which, until a few moments ago, had been Rhad's life presence. And yet, as Anakin stared down at Rhad's body, he also felt a engorged sense of satisfaction for he had defeated a worthy opponent in single combat.  
  
"No, Anakin. Do not glory in your triumph. Obi-Wan's son. He needs you. Go!"  
  
Anakin jumped and turned, his heart thundering.  
  
"Master Qui-Gon," he cried for it had sounded like the voice of the long dead Jedi Master.  
  
But there was no one in the vestibule. Only Rhad's lifeless body lying on the floor. Anakin shook his head to clear it. He must have been hearing things. Anakin shook his head to clear it. He must have been hearing things. He reached down and jerked Rhad's dagger out of his chest. He didn't have time to look for his lightsaber, but he certainly wasn't going to confront the kryat dragon weaponless. Anyone who could have cold- bloodedly planned the murder of their own son was capable of anything. Plus she might not be alone.  
  
Anakin went to the door of the manor, opened it and ran outside. The moon and stars were hidden by low, thick clouds, but he was now completely acclimated to the darkness. To his left loomed the large building that was the garage for the estate. He ran towards it. Suddenly, the Force screamed in his mind. Anakin instinctively ducked and rolled as two dark figures leapt towards him from the side of the manor. He rose up and saw that the two men now facing him were dressed as Rhad had been, in dark, loose pants and tunic, a red sash around their waists.  
  
"Let me pass," Anakin said firmly. "I don't want to hurt either of you. But I won't allow you to hinder me."  
  
The men looked at each other and laughed. They both pulled daggers from the sheaths at their hips and threw themselves at Anakin. Recalling Master Karna's lessons regarding blade combat, for she had taught that also, Anakin met them fearlessly for he was now in complete control of both himself and the Force.  
  
Using the dagger he had taken from Rhad's body, Anakin slashed and stabbed at the two men, moving so swiftly he easily avoided their blades, but his own dagger was a blood-tinged blur of silver in the night. Unlike his battle with Rhad, however, Anakin was calm and composed. There was no anger or glory in what he did and it was soon over.  
  
The moon shyly peeked from behind the clouds, like a witness peering through a curtain at a street brawl, and saw upon the ground two lifeless, black-clad bodies and a young man with bright hair and hot blue eyes standing over them, breathing hard, a bloody blade in his hand. The moon paled at the sight and quickly drew the clouds back over her face.  
  
Anakin stepped over the bodies of the two men and ran to the garage. He pressed open the door and went inside. He was going to need something fast if he hoped to catch up with Tsara. Then he saw what he was looking for. A few days ago he had seen one of the Assembly guards, before they were all pulled from the manor, racing around the estate on a speeder-bike that apparently had belonged to the groundskeeper's son before he left for university in the capital.  
  
Anakin guided the speeder-bike out of the garage. He slipped Rhad's dagger into the straps about his boot. Mounting the speeder, he switched it on. It hummed beneath him and, from the sound, Anakin could tell it had been well-taken care of. He sped towards the entrance to the estate then stopped.  
  
There were two roads leading away from the estate. The larger one went towards the capital and the starport. The smaller one on the left Anakin had no idea where it led, but it was the one Tsara had taken for through the Force he sensed Ben's tiny, but very strong Force signature along that road. Gunning the speeder, his face determined and grim, Anakin shifted it into highspeed and raced down the moon-shrouded road after the she-demon who had stolen his master's son.  
  
To be continued.... 


	34. Part ThirtyFour

First Knight - Part Thirty Four  
  
--------------  
  
As Obi-Wan pulled in front of the manor and powered down the speeder's engine he was now so overwhelmed by the sensations of death and pain that he sensed through the Force, it almost made him ill. The closer he had gotten to K'lia's manor, the stronger the feeling had become until it was no longer just a scream, but a long-drawn out howl of horror.  
  
He looked up. All the lights within and outside the manor were out. The moon was hidden by thick clouds and there was no sound but the ticking of the speeder as it cooled down. As Obi-Wan climbed out of the vehicle, he glanced down the smaller road that led away from the estate.  
  
Something, or someone, had gone down that road that was faintly recognizable to him, but he couldn't focus on who or what it was because of all the dark eddies of pain and death that were muddying up the Force. His heart kicked wildly in his chest as his mind imagined all manner of terrible scenarios.  
  
He looked over. Sinja-Bau was sitting, as she had ever since they had landed, mutely in her seat. Her blue-green eyes were wide as she stared up at the manor and, although, Obi-Wan knew she could no longer sense or use the Force, one did not have to be a Force user to know something was wrong. Suddenly, a scream pierced the air.  
  
"Onara," Obi-Wan cried.  
  
He turned to Sinja-Bau.  
  
"Stay here," he shouted as he unclipped his lightsaber and ignited it.  
  
She didn't appear to hear him. Her gaze was focused on the manor. Obi-Wan ran up the stairs and threw open the large front door. As he ran across the vestibule he stopped for a moment. A young man was lying dead on the floor. Obi-Wan didn't recognize him as being part of K'lia's household staff. However, before he could dwell further on who the young man was, Onara screamed again. Obi-Wan Force-ran up the stairs.  
  
He saw K'lia's body lying on the floor of the hallway near Onara's bedchamber and the grief he felt at the sight nearly blinded him, but he made himself keep going. The door to Onara's sitting room was open, as was the door to her bedroom. Obi-Wan ran in.  
  
Onara was on the floor, screaming, as she watched a black-clad man with a red sash about his belt stabbing a man Obi-Wan recognized as Jerule. The man released Jerule, who slumped lifelessly to the floor, then turned towards Onara, his knife dripping with Jerule's blood. He grabbed Onara by the hair, pulled her head up and placed the edge of the knife along her throat. Then Onara looked over and saw Obi-Wan. Her eyes widened. The man also looked up, his dark eyes narrowing.  
  
"Let her go," Obi-Wan said calmly as he brandished his lightsaber at the man, but his heart was beating so hard he feared it would burst out of his chest.  
  
"Who are you?" the man growled. "I thought we killed all you Jedi."  
  
Obi-Wan felt his mind nearly shut down at the man's words, knowing he was referring to Anakin and Eo, but he forced himself to remain focused. He swallowed and, keeping his eyes locked on the man's, slowly drew upon the Force.  
  
"Let her go," he said, his voice pitched persuasively. "I promise. You won't be harmed."  
  
The man's face clouded for a moment, as if he was trying to sort out some puzzle in his mind. Then his dark eyes sharpened and narrowed and he pressed the knife harder against Onara's throat.  
  
"Orders are orders and the pretty one here must die. Then, after I'm done with her, you're next."  
  
"I don't think so," Obi-Wan said softly.  
  
He shifted his gaze to Onara. The man still had the knife at her throat, but there was no fear in her eyes. All Obi-Wan saw in them as she gazed silently back at him was her love and her trust in him. Obi-Wan gave her a small smile. He focused his attention back on the man. His mind was much stronger than that of the average Ahjane, but Obi-Wan was determined.  
  
"Release her. Now," he said, adding just enough of an edge to his voice to compel the man.  
  
The man's expression clouded again. He slowly lowered the knife from Onara's throat and released her. Then Onara gasped.  
  
"Obi-Wan, look out!" she cried.  
  
Obi-Wan, who had been concentrating fiercely on the man holding Onara, had not detected the two men coming up behind him, but at Onara's cry, he swung his lightsaber first to the right. It slid through the neck of the man next to him. The knife that assassin had been aiming towards his back fell to the floor.  
  
As Obi-Wan's body followed along the line of the trajectory of his swing, the other man, who had been coming up on his left, was also quickly bereft of his head. Obi-Wan turned back to Onara and the man. He stared wide-eyed at his two dead companions.  
  
Then, his face bloated with blood lust, he threw his knife at Obi-Wan, aiming for his heart. Obi-Wan deflected the knife away with the blade of his lightsaber. The man made as if to grab Onara, hoping to use her as a hostage, but Obi-Wan raised his left hand and pushed hard at the man with the Force.  
  
He flew back, slamming against the wall. Then, before Obi-Wan could stop him, the man turned and leapt through the window next to him, breaking the glass. Obi-Wan ran to the window and looked out. The man's broken body lay on the ground, his neck twisted at an angle that indicated it was broken. Obi-Wan powered down his lightsaber and ran over to Onara. She was lying on the floor, her face covered by her hair.  
  
"Onara," Obi-Wan cried as he knelt down and lifted her so that she was leaning against him.  
  
"Obi-Wan," she said softly as she looked up at him. "You came back. You came back."  
  
"I told you I would, love," he said as he held her close, gently kissing her face and hair. Then he pulled away from her.  
  
"Onara, what's happened? Who are these people and what are they doing here?"  
  
"They're Red Tide. Hired killers."  
  
"Hired killers? But, what was Jerule doing here?"  
  
"I don't know. He came into my room. I tried to fight him, but I was so weak. He was pulling me out of the bed when one of the Red Tide came in." Onara's eyes widened with horror. "He just started stabbing Jerule. I don't know why. Jerule was crying, begging, asking him why, why, but the man said nothing. He just kept stabbing him."  
  
Onara lowered her head into her hands. Obi-Wan tightened his arms about her.  
  
"Onara, where's Anakin?"  
  
Onara raised her head, the tears sparkling on her cheeks. "He went after Ben."  
  
"Ben?"  
  
"We heard Ben crying. I told Anakin to go after him. It's Grandmother, Obi- Wan. I know this is all her doing. She has Ben."  
  
"What about Master Eo?"  
  
Onara shook her head wordlessly. Obi-Wan lifted her up in his arms. He carried her out of her bedroom, making sure she didn't see K'lia's body where it lay in the hallway. He wasn't ready for her to deal with that just yet. He went down the hall to Ben's nursery and, as he entered it, stopped. Both he and Onara gasped.  
  
All the furniture in the nursery was upended or turned over, including Ben's crib. Obi-Wan could see a fierce battle had been fought here. There were four black-clad bodies lying about the room. Then he saw something that made his heart clench so hard it almost stopped.  
  
Sinja-Bau was sitting on the floor, Master Eo's head in her lap. She was stroking the tendrils on his face, her head bent over him. Obi-Wan slowly walked into the room and kneeling down, set Onara on the floor next to him, but he kept his arm about her for he could feel she was very weak.  
  
"Sinja-Bau," Obi-Wan said softly as he reached over and touched her shoulder.  
  
She lifted her head slowly towards him, her blue-green eyes swimming with tears, but they were lucid and clear.  
  
"He was never much of a warrior, you know," she said, her voice low and soft. "He much preferred to heal then to hurt."  
  
Obi-Wan looked around at the four dead bodies of the Red Tide assassins sprawled about the nursery. A lump formed in his throat when he saw how fiercely the Jedi Healer had fought to protect his son. He turned back to Sinja-Bau. She continued to caress Eo's tendrils, fingering them gently.  
  
"I grieve with you, Sinja-Bau," Obi-Wan said gently. ""But, I must go and look for Anakin and Ben. Will you watch over Onara for me? I don't know if there are more of these Red Tide still about the manor."  
  
Sinja-Bau gently laid Eo's head upon the floor. She picked up his lightsaber where it lay next to him. Then she stood, tall and proud, and held it firmly in her hand as she looked down at him and Onara.  
  
"I will watch over her, my brother. The Force is with me."  
  
Obi-Wan stared up at her, startled by her words. He wondered for a moment if her madness had returned. However, she appeared sane, at least for the moment, and he could only trust she would remain so for the time being. He picked Onara up and, gesturing with his head, directed Sinja-Bau to follow him. He led her to one of the smaller drawing rooms near Ben's nursery. There were no windows in the room and only one entrance. He gently laid Onara on a small settee.  
  
"I'm going to go look for Ben and Anakin," he said softly as he caressed her cheek. "Sinja-Bau will watch over you."  
  
Onara nodded, her eyes full as she looked up at him. He leaned over and kissed her softly. Then he rose and looked over at Sinja-Bau.  
  
"Do not worry, my brother," she said, her eyes fierce, her hands clasped firmly about Eo's lightsaber. "She will be safe with me. I will protect her."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at her. "I know you will."  
  
He turned, left the drawing room. and ran down hallway to the main stairs. Once he reached the bottom, he suddenly stopped for he sensed something coming from the hall which led to the kitchen. Igniting his lightsaber he went down it. Then he heard it. It was voices crying out for help. They were coming from one of the large pantries just outside the kitchen. The door to the pantry was locked. Obi-Wan used his lightsaber to knock away the lock.  
  
"Master Kenobi," a voice cried as the door opened.  
  
"Simtro," Obi-Wan replied.  
  
K'lia's manservant along with the rest of the house hold staff were all inside the pantry. As they filed out of it, Simtro grabbed Obi-Wan's arm.  
  
"Dynast K'lia? Have you seen him?"  
  
Obi-Wan sighed and released a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Simtro. He's dead."  
  
"No, no, oh, no," Simtro cried, wringing his hands. The other servants all began to cry too, some beating their chests with their hands.  
  
"The Red Tide. They were everywhere," Simtro said, the tears flowing down his face as he looked over at Obi-Wan, grief twisting his features. "Someone sabotaged the security droids and then the lights went out. The next thing we knew they were herding us all in here. Some of us tried to fight them."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over and saw that some of the servants had makeshift bandages around their arms or heads.  
  
"But none of you were killed?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Simtro nodded. "Although Cheran is missing. He was Lady Tsara's valet. The Red Tide didn't seem interested in us, Master Kenobi. Just wanted us out of the way so that they could....could..." Simtro's eyes widened. "Onara, is she...?"  
  
"She's alive, Simtro. She's upstairs with Sinja-Bau."  
  
"Sinja-Bau? You found her?"  
  
"Yes, but I must go, Simtro. Anakin and Ben are missing."  
  
"Ben?" Simtro gasped.  
  
"Yes. I don't know how many of these Red Tide invaded the manor. Some are dead, but there could still be more about. Find what weapons you can and guard Onara. She's in the drawing room next to the nursery."  
  
"Yes, Master Kenobi, right away."  
  
Simtro told the other servants what to do, then followed Obi-Wan to the main entrance. Once they reached it, the lights suddenly flared in the manor. Simtro looked over at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Someone must have reactivated the energy cells," he said.  
  
In the bright lights of the vestibule, they could clearly see the body and face of the young Red Tide member.  
  
"Do you know him?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"No," Simtro replied. "But definitely Red Tide. He's wearing the sash."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "He was just a boy."  
  
"A boy can be a killer, too, Master Kenobi."  
  
"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed sadly. He put his hand on Simtro's shoulder.  
  
"Watch over Onara. I'll return as soon as I can."  
  
"Don't you worry, Master Kenobi," Simtro said firmly. "Those Red Tide devils caught us unawares before but we're ready for them now. They'll have to kill all of us before we let them harm one hair on Onara's head. Go and find Master Ben and Master Skywalker. We'll watch over Onara."  
  
"Thank you, Simtro."  
  
Obi-Wan turned and ran through the door. Once outside he stopped and closed his eyes. Drawing upon the Force he cast his senses out and around him, especially down the smaller road to his left. He quickly opened his eyes. Anakin had gone down that road. Obi-Wan jumped into the speeder-car and, turning it in the direction Anakin had gone, roared down the road after him.  
  
-------  
  
"We're being followed."  
  
Lady Tsara, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the speeder-car, looked over at Cheran, her former valet and the man who had been her eyes and ears inside the manor since her banishment. He was looking at the sensor display on the speeder's dashboard.  
  
"Followed?" she cried. "By whom? I specifically chose this road because it's rarely used since the main one was built."  
  
"I don't know, but they're coming up fast" Cheran said, his voice clearly betraying his fear, his long, doleful face greasy with sweat, his yellowish eyes wide. "It could be one of those Jedi."  
  
Tsara scowled at him. Spying and sabotaging were easy enough for Cheran to accomplish, but when it came down to actual physical confrontation the man was nothing but jelly. She reached down and picked up the high-powered blaster she had purchased in the capital before the raid. Cheran's eyes widened even more. Tsara looked through the window and pointed.  
  
"See that grove of trees up ahead on the right? Pull over and hide the speeder within it."  
  
She chewed on her lower lip. "It can't be the Jedi," she went on. "I saw that freak Jedi die with my own eyes."  
  
Then Tsara's mouth twisted with anger. She hadn't had time to watch Rhad take care of Skywalker as he'd boasted he would. She had wanted to escape with Ben before Kenobi showed up. But if Rhad had failed, then more than likely it was the Jedi brat coming up behind them. Tsara fingered the blaster, her mouth stretching in a wide, malicious smile. Well, she'd have a nice little surprise waiting for him.  
  
She turned and looked at the back seat of the speeder. Her great-grandson was in a baby carrier on the seat. He had finally stopped that ear- splitting squalling. Now he was staring silently at her and, for a moment, Tsara felt a frisson of fear. The baby's eyes were so much like that damn Kenobi's eyes it was downright scary and the look on his tiny face was far too knowing for that of a month-old infant.  
  
When the baby suddenly smiled, Tsara's heart kicked in her chest. From the moment she had taken him out of his crib he had either screamed or frowned at her, as if she were something repulsive and abhorrent to him. Now he was smiling and turning his head as if whoever was coming up the road behind them was someone he was eager to see.  
  
"No use your smiling and looking around like that," Tsara snapped at him. "Whoever that is coming up the road, you won't be going anywhere with him. You belong to me now."  
  
The baby ignored her, turning his head quickly as if trying to look behind him, his blue-gray eyes seeming to light up in the darkness of the speeder's interior. Tsara scowled at him, then noted out of the corner of her eye that Cheran was staring at her, his face clearly showing he was wondering if she had lost her mind.  
  
"Hurry up and pull over," she snarled.  
  
Cheran did so, easing the vehicle in between the trees. He powered it down and looked over at Tsara.  
  
"Bring the baby with you," she told him as she opened her door and got out of the speeder.  
  
----------------  
  
As Anakin tore down the dark road on the speeder-bike, he sensed he was getting closer to Ben. His Force signature was definitely growing stronger. Then, seeing something up ahead in the road, Anakin pressed down hard on the speeder-bike's brake. He saw an ovoid-shaped object in the middle of the road.  
  
He eased the speeder-bike closer to it and saw it was a baby-carrier. It was facing away from him so Anakin couldn't see if anyone was inside. Anakin knew it was a trap. The carrier was more than likely empty and Ben was someplace else. Then Anakin heard a sound coming from the carrier. It was Ben!  
  
Again, although Anakin yearned to race over and grab the carrier, he knew Tsara had to be somewhere, waiting for him to do just that. Then, as he was figuring out where she could be hiding so he could sneak up behind her, he heard blaster fire.  
  
The blood rushed through his head. The crazy old witch was firing at the baby carrier! She wasn't hitting it, but the blasts were landing close enough and, at the sound, Ben started crying.  
  
Anakin raced the speeder up to the carrier. He leaned over to grab it but, just as he tried to do so, a blaster bolt ripped through his leg. He fell to the ground, the speeder-bike careening from him. Then he watched as another blaster bolt tore the speeder-bike apart.  
  
--------------  
  
"Got him!" Tsara shouted from where she was hidden with Cheran among the trees on the side of the road.  
  
She lowered the blaster and grinned over at Cheran. Then she saw the uneasiness in his eyes. Clearly he thought she was insane for firing at the baby. Well, she had to do something to draw Skywalker closer. It wasn't like she was going to kill her own great-grandson, for goodness sake. She had plans for him.  
  
"What?" she cried.  
  
"Can we leave now?" Cheran said. "I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right."  
  
"What do you mean something doesn't feel right? I got him."  
  
Then she looked back to where Anakin was lying on the ground. "And now I'm going to finish him. But I want to see his face when I do."  
  
She moved through the trees, Cheran trailing behind her.  
  
"Please, Lady Tsara," he said as he grabbed her arm. "Let's just go. He can't follow us now. Let's just take the baby and go."  
  
"No," Tsara snarled as she jerked her arm away from Cheran's hand. "I don't care what the Count said. I'll just say it was an accident, that one of the Red Tide got a bit overzealous. He can't blame me for that."  
  
She looked over at Anakin as he lay moaning on the ground, her heart swelling with rage.  
  
"That Jedi brat is going to pay for what he did to me," she hissed. "None of this would have happened if it hadn't been for him. It's all his fault. He forced me to do this. Forced me to have K'lia and Onara killed. Now he will join them."  
  
"I don't want anything more to do with this!" Cheran cried, backing away. "You didn't say anything about killing Dynast K'lia or Lady Onara when you asked me to help you. You said you just wanted the baby. No, I've had enough of killing, I tell you. I've had enough!"  
  
Cheran turned and ran towards the speeder. Tsara fired at him. The blaster bolt went past him and hit the speeder.  
  
"Damn!" she shouted.  
  
She fired again and managed to hit him square in the back this time. Cheran screamed and tumbled into the underbrush.  
  
"Weakling," she muttered.  
  
She went over and looked at the speeder. It had a huge hole in the engine. She cursed. Well, she'd worry about that once she was done with Skywalker. She turned back and, making her way through the trees, went over to the Jedi as he lay on the ground clutching at his leg. Those hated blue eyes of his stared calmly up at her.  
  
"So, brat," she sneered. "It's finally come down to just you and me. You should have stayed at the manor. All Rhad was supposed to do was cripple you. Now I'm going to kill you."  
  
She aimed the blaster at him.  
  
"Know something, Lady Tsara?" he said softly as he looked up at her with his insufferable, boyish face.  
  
"What?" she snapped.  
  
"You lose."  
  
Skywalker's hand, where it had been lying on his leg near his boot, suddenly arched up. Tsara felt a sharp pain in her neck. She dropped the blaster, her hands flying up to the dagger that was embedded in her throat.  
  
She groaned as she felt the blood spurting around the wound, her fingers weakly trying to grasp onto the handle, but there was a darkness and a roaring in her eyes and in her ears. She fell to the ground.  
  
"Bas...tard," she managed to spew out around the blood churning from her throat before death wrapped his arms tightly around her, whispered her name, and she knew nor spoke no more.  
  
----------------  
  
Obi-Wan slowed the speeder down as he approached the body lying in the road. He stopped and jumped out. It was Lady Tsara, a dagger lodged in her throat. Her dark eyes were open and staring, seemingly surprised at something she saw in the sky, but Obi-Wan knew she saw nothing.  
  
He looked around. The side of the road was filled with dark rows of tall trees and thick underbrush. Then he heard what sounded like singing. He followed the sound, nearly stumbling over another body. That body had a huge blaster burn in the back. Obi-Wan went past it until he came upon a speeder-car among the trees. The singing was louder now and was coming from inside the car.  
  
The womp rat and the desert mouse Agreed to have a race To see who was the fastest In that hot god-awful place.  
  
The Jawas and the Tuskens They all laid down their bets To see which of the rodents Would prove to be the best."  
  
Obi-Wan looked inside the speeder. Anakin was in the front seat singing to Ben who was inside a baby carrier. Ben was smiling up at Anakin and waving his tiny hands, seemingly in time to the song.  
  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan called.  
  
Anakin stopped singing, drew a huge blaster and pointed it at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Oh, it's you, Master," Anakin cried in a relieved voice.  
  
Ben turned his head and looked up at Obi-Wan. His smile grew wider and he gurgled happily. Obi-Wan thought his heart would burst with happiness at the sight of the two.  
  
"Are you all right, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"Yes, Master. Got a bit of a blaster burn in my leg, but I'm all right."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Anakin quickly told Obi-Wan what happened and how, after Tsara was dead, and not knowing when help would arrive, he had managed to get himself and Ben into Tsara's speeder where it was hidden among the trees.  
  
"I was hoping I could fix it, but it was too badly damaged, but I thought it would at least be a warmer place to wait."  
  
"You thought right," Obi-Wan said with a smile. Then he frowned. "What about the other body?"  
  
Anakin shrugged. "I don't know who he is, Master. Before Tsara came up on the road I heard her arguing with some one. Then I heard blaster fire."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "I think he may be the man Simtro said was missing from the manor. He used to be Tsara's valet. More than likely he's the one who sabotaged the security droids."  
  
Anakin nodded. "Did you find Sinja-Bau, Master?" he asked as Obi-Wan, Ben's baby carrier slung over one arm, helped him out of the speeder. "And Master Eo? Is he all right?"  
  
"Yes, I did find Sinja-Bau," Obi-Wan said. Then he stopped and sighed. "But I'm afraid Master Eo is dead, Anakin. He died trying to stop Tsara from taking Ben."  
  
"No, no," Anakin said softly as he lowered his head. Then he raised it, his eyes wide. "Onara? Is she all right? I'm sorry I left her, Master, but Ben was----"  
  
"She's all right, Anakin," Obi-Wan quickly assured him. "Don't worry. You did the right thing."  
  
Obi-Wan then looked fondly down at Ben in his carrier. He was now sound asleep.  
  
"You did the right thing," he repeated softly.  
  
Anakin looked over as Obi-Wan helped him back onto the road and over to the speeder.  
  
"I'm glad you're back, Master," he said, his blue eyes warm.  
  
"And I'm glad you're safe, Padawan. And thank you for saving my son."  
  
Anakin gave Obi-Wan a wide smile as his master secured Ben in the back seat and helped him into the passenger seat.  
  
"Just all in a day's work," he said cheerily.  
  
"Humph," Obi-Wan grunted as he climbed into the driver's seat but he was smiling.  
  
"What about Lady Tsara's body?" Anakin asked as Obi-Wan activated the speeder.  
  
Obi-Wan's smile slid away. He didn't answer for a moment. The response he wanted to give Anakin was not, he knew, the proper one for a apprentice to hear from a Jedi but, as far as Obi-Wan was concerned, Tsara's body could lay there until it rotted. Then he sighed heavily. He knew what he was feeling was wrong, but he would never in his heart forgive Tsara for what she had done.  
  
K'lia and Eo, both kind and noble souls, were now dead; Onara and Anakin had nearly been killed, and Ben had almost been lost to him, and all of it was Tsara's doing. No, he would never forgive her. However, he would keep his true feelings regarding her hidden deep in his heart.  
  
"I'll have Simtro send someone for her body," he said in a clipped voice. "And for that of her valet."  
  
Anakin looked at him for a moment. "I understand, Master."  
  
Obi-Wan glanced at him, wondering if there was more to Anakin's words than what was on the surface. He reached over and put his hand on Anakin's shoulder and squeezed it.  
  
"Thank you, Padawan."  
  
Anakin nodded. Obi-Wan turned the speeder around and headed back towards the manor where Onara was waiting for her son and her love to come back to her.  
  
To be continued... 


	35. Part ThirtyFive

First Knight - Part Thirty-Five  
  
-----------  
  
When Obi-Wan pulled up to the manor, he was pleased to see that not only were there lights on all around it, but a number of Assembly guards were now patrolling the grounds along with security droids. The guards had even stopped the speeder as they had approached the estate, their weapons drawn, before one of them had recognized the Jedi and let them pass.  
  
"Master Kenobi," Simtro cried as he came down the stairs along with, Obi- Wan was happy to see, Gendra and Rylea, Onara's twin aunts.  
  
The aunts briefly greeted Obi-Wan and Anakin, then rushed over to Ben who was still in his baby carrier inside the speeder. Having awakened once the speeder had stopped moving, he cooed happily up at his great-aunts. Both women, whose eyes Obi-Wan saw were red and swollen, began to cry anew upon seeing their great-nephew alive and well. They eased the carrier out of the speeder and, holding it between them, quickly took Ben into the manor.  
  
"You probably won't see your son for awhile, Master Kenobi," Simtro said with a smile as he watched the aunts leave.  
  
"That's quite all right," he said, returning the smile. "But, where were they?"  
  
"I found them gagged and bound in their bedroom. They had not been harmed but were, as you imagine, quite upset to learn of Dynast K'lia's death. I had feared the Red Tide had killed them, but, for whatever, reason, they were spared. I think, perhaps, it is because they chose not to attend Lady Tsara's banishment ritual." Then Simtro shrugged. "But who can say?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded and turned to where two of the Assembly guards were helping Anakin out of the speeder.  
  
"Could you have someone look at Anakin's leg?" he asked Simtro.  
  
"Of course, Master Kenobi," he replied.  
  
He waved over a young servant girl and instructed her to see to Master Skywalker's leg. She curtsied and followed the guards as they helped Anakin into the manor.  
  
"Where is Lady Tsara?" Simtro asked  
  
"Dead," Obi-Wan said curtly. "Along with her valet. She apparently killed him. Shot him in the back."  
  
Simtro lowered his head and sadly shook it. "Poor Cheran. He was not a bad man. He truly respected Lady Tsara and she was able to exploit that." Simtro looked up. "I contacted the Assembly as soon as you left, Master Kenobi. I was finally able to since our communications were no longer being jammed. They were reluctant to send the Guards, but when I told them both Jerule and K'lia were dead and the Red Tide was involved, they quickly changed their mind. They also notified Kindah Province of Jerule's death. Edress's nephew was declared Dynast and is, even now, withdrawing his troops from our borders."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. Then, almost afraid to, for fear of the answer, he asked how Onara was.  
  
Simtro's face fell. "I'm sorry, Master Kenobi. While you were gone her condition worsened."  
  
Obi-Wan grabbed Simtro's arms. "No, she can't be---"  
  
"She's not dead," Simtro quickly assured him. "But she lapsed into a coma soon after you left. Sinja-Bau, after we removed Jerule's body and cleaned Onara's bedroom, had her taken there. Then she sequestered herself with Onara and gave strict orders she was not to be disturbed. That was some time ago."  
  
"Did Sinja-Bau appear all right when she did this?"  
  
"All right?" Simtro asked.  
  
"Sane. Did she appear sane?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Master Kenobi. Quite sane. She asked for some things to be brought to her, but nothing unusual. Some herbs, candles, but nothing I deemed to be harmful. I hope we did the right thing. She is the only one who can help Onara, correct?"  
  
"Yes, she is." Obi-Wan took Simtro's shoulder. "Don't worry, you did the right thing. Now, there is nothing more we can do but place our trust in Sinja-Bau and in the Force."  
  
"I'm afraid I don't know much about the Force, Master Kenobi, but I will do as you say. I will trust it."  
  
Simtro then told Obi-Wan that they had found, in total, ten of the Red Tide's bodies inside and outside the manor, not including Jerule's.  
  
"It's quite amazing, Master Kenobi," Simtro added.  
  
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked as he accompanied Simtro up the stairs into the manor.  
  
"The Red Tide are the most feared assassins on Ahjane. Although they will commit suicide in order to avoid capture, it's rare for anyone to actually kill one of them. And for ten of them to have been eliminated...." Simtro shook his head. "It's never been heard of before."  
  
Obi-Wan said nothing. He didn't want to think about the killing he, Anakin and Master Eo had engaged in this night. It had been necessary, of course, in order to protect the lives of innocents, but Obi-Wan took no satisfaction in it. Especially since, as a result, one of the Order's must revered and respected healers had been lost.  
  
"Where is Master Eo's body?" he asked Simtro as they entered the hall and made their way up the main stairs.  
  
"In a place of honor, Master Kenobi, along with Dynast K'lia's. We will leave the body there until you decide what you would like done with it."  
  
"Thank you, Simtro."  
  
As they walked down the hall to Onara's bedroom, Obi-Wan saw that the area where Dynast K'lia's body had lain was being cleaned by some of the servants. As he and Simtro passed by, they stopped what they were doing and bowed. Obi-Wan returned their bow with a slight incline of his head.  
  
"They are in awe of you, Master Kenobi," Simtro explained as they stopped outside Onara's door. "They are in awe of all you Jedi."  
  
"They shouldn't be," Obi-Wan said softly. "We're no different than they are. Or at least we shouldn't be."  
  
Obi-Wan stood before the closed door to Onara's sitting room. He did not want to violate Sinja-Bau's orders but he wasn't sure he could just stand outside and not know what was going on. Then, just as he contemplated whether it would be all right for him to enter, the door opened.  
  
Sinja-Bau stood in the doorway. She was still wearing the clothes she had worn when Obi-Wan had taken her from Douro's camp. Her hair still lay, stringy and thin, upon her shoulders. But there was a glow about her, an illumination Obi-Wan recognized and that recognition filled him with both awe and shock.  
  
"Obi-Wan," she said smiling. "Your son? Is he all right?"  
  
"Y-y-yes," Obi-Wan stammered. "He's fine."  
  
"And your apprentice?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, too stunned to say anything more as he continued to stare in wonder at her. Sinja-Bau smiled warmly at him and took his arm.  
  
"Come, my brother." She looked over at Simtro. "Would you mind waiting for a moment?"  
  
"Of course," Simtro said, inclining his head.  
  
Sinja-Bau guided Obi-Wan through the sitting room and into Onara's bed chamber. The room was softly lit by candle-light, and Obi-Wan could smell sweet-scented herbs in the air. The window, through which the Red Tide assassin had thrown himself, was now boarded up, but the other window was open and Obi-Wan saw through it that dawn was not far off.  
  
He looked over at Onara's bed. She lay sleeping, her dark hair strewn across the pillows. Her face was serene, there was color in her cheeks and, through the Force, Obi-Wan detected that her life energy was as strong and as the bright as the sun that was just about to rise over the horizon. He looked over at Sinja-Bau, tears welling in his eyes.  
  
"She's...she's going to be all right?"  
  
Sinja-Bau nodded. "Yes, my brother."  
  
"But, how..." Obi-Wan began. "How were you able to cure her? Your Force powers...."  
  
"Were given back to me."  
  
"Back to you?" Obi-Wan gasped. "But that's not possible. You were blinded to the Force."  
  
"Yes, that is true. But the Force has given me back my sight, so to speak, and my sanity."  
  
"The madness is gone?"  
  
"Yes. As suddenly as it came." Sinja-Bau smiled at Obi-Wan. "Do not ask me to explain it. I can't. I just know. I can feel the Force again."  
  
Obi-Wan stared at her. What she was telling him, as far as he knew, was impossible and yet, even after 25,000 years of studying the Force, did the Jedi truly know everything there was to know about it. The Force works in mysterious ways, Qui-Gon had once told him. And here, Obi-Wan realized, was living proof that it did.  
  
He went over to Onara's bed and sat next to her. He did not want to wake her but, unable to resist touching her, gently took her hand and rubbed his fingers over it. It was warm and soft and just the touch of it made his head spin with bliss. Sinja-Bau, who was standing behind him, touched his shoulder.  
  
"And this illness will never plague her again," she told him.  
  
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked as he turned and looked up at her.  
  
Sinja-Bau blue-green eyes sparkled. "Well, if by chance you and Onara should someday, perhaps, wish for Ben to have a sister or a brother, she will not become ill from the pregnancy. I have seen to that."  
  
Obi-Wan felt himself blushing and, shaking his head, looked back at Onara.  
  
"Thank you, Sinja-Bau, but if Onara is to be blessed with more children, I do not think I will be..." Obi-Wan stopped and sighed.  
  
"You should get some rest," Sinja-Bau said. "When was the last time you slept? Or ate?"  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. He had no idea.  
  
"Well, I'm ordering you to eat and to rest," she said. "Onara will not awaken for several hours and when she does I will send for you."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. He held Onara's hand for a moment longer. Then he lifted it and kissed it. As he did, he was surprised to see a small smile on her face, but she did not awaken. He lowered her hand and, rising from her bed, followed Sinja-Bau out into the hallway. Simtro was still waiting, but judging from the look on Obi-Wan's face did not need to ask how Onara was. He clapped his hands together, a big smile spreading across his face.  
  
"I will go and tell the others," he cried and, turning, ran down the hall.  
  
"I should go check on Anakin," Obi-Wan said, but Sinja-Bau grabbed his arm and, pulling him along, steered him towards one of the bedrooms.  
  
"No, I will check on your apprentice, Obi-Wan. You, on the other hand," and she opened the door and pushed him, gently but firmly, into the room, "will do as I instructed. And I don't want to see that handsome face of yours for at least five hours. Understood?"  
  
"Understood, Master Sinja-Bau," Obi-Wan said smiling.  
  
Sinja-Bau jumped a bit at his use of her old title, than smiled.  
  
"I'll have some food brought to you."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Obi-Wan walked into the room, Sinja-Bau closing the door behind him. He stood for a moment, his glance falling on the door leading to the fresher. He would shower, then eat. But, as he looked over at the bed, he quickly unclipped his lightsaber, laid it on the nightstand, fell onto the mattress and, even before his body had settled onto it, was soon fast asleep.  
  
As a matter of fact, Obi-Wan slept so deeply that, when the servants brought his food, Sinja-Bau had them take it back to the kitchen, telling them he would eat it when he awoke.  
  
To be continued... 


	36. Part ThirtySix

First Knight - Part Thirty-Six  
  
-----------  
  
Anakin raised his head and watched as the hundreds of doves that Onara had ordered to be released at the conclusion of the ceremony soared into the air. At first they flew as one, looking like a large pink cloud. Then, groups of them broke off, some flying east, others west, then in all directions.  
  
Anakin watched until they all disappeared. As he lowered his head, he looked around at those gathered at the mausoleum which housed the deceased members of Onara's family. It was a small assemblage. The public funeral had been held the day before in the capital city of the province. Hundreds of thousands of citizens had lined the streets to watch as the carriage bearing the casket of their Dynast had rolled by. The crowd had flung bouquets of flowers and sang sad, lilting songs of farewell.  
  
This small, private ceremony, however, was only for family and close friends. Anakin looked over to where Onara stood between Obi-Wan and Sinja- Bau. Ben was inside the manor sleeping. Obi-Wan once again wore his Jedi clothes and Anakin was glad his master was no longer wearing black. It had made Anakin nervous for some reason. Onara was dressed in the traditional Ahjane colors for mourning. She wore a deep violet gown with long sleeves and an elaborate white headdress.  
  
Anakin was not surprised to see Sinja-Bau standing next to her. Over the least few days, the two women had become very close. Sinja-Bau was wearing native Ahjane clothing similar to Onara's which, Anakin had to admit, suited her. He then recalled his first meeting with her.  
  
She had come to check on his leg. Keria, the young blonde servant girl who had tended him, had just finished wrapping a bacta bandage around his injury when Sinja-Bau entered the room. When she saw Anakin, she stopped for a moment and stared at him, a brief expression of both awe and fear flashing across her face. Anakin felt similarly uneasy, but the ex-Jedi Healer quickly recovered and, upon examining Keria's bandage, had complimented the girl on her work, which had caused Keria to blush. And rather prettily Anakin recalled.  
  
Now he watched as Onara moved from between Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau towards the mausoleum. She placed her hand on the gray stone and lowered her head. Anakin swallowed, his throat tight. When Onara had been told of her father's death, she had said nothing for a long moment, then had asked to be alone. Whatever tears she had shed, she had shed in private.  
  
Obi-Wan moved next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. She turned and looked up at him. He kissed her forehead, then led her from the tomb where not only K'lia lay, but also Master Eo. Onara had asked Sinja-Bau's permission to bury the Jedi Healer in her family mausoleum for having given his life for her son. Sinja-Bau, as Eo's former master, had the right to give such permission and had. As for Tsara, Anakin had heard that her body had been burned and her ashes scattered to the four winds.  
  
As the rest of those gathered began to move back towards the manor, Anakin noted a tall, dark-haired man dressed in rich, but unpretentious clothing, watching as Obi-Wan and Onara walked towards the manor. Anakin touched the sleeve of Rylea.  
  
"Who is that?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, that's Edress's nephew. Dynast Dalan," she whispered.  
  
Anakin nodded. He had heard that Edress's nephew had been declared the new Dynast of Kindah Province, but had not had a chance to meet him.  
  
"Isn't he handsome?" Gendra remarked as she moved to Anakin's other side.  
  
Anakin shrugged as he walked between the two elderly women. He supposed if he were a girl he would probably think Dynast Dalan handsome. He was not only tall, but the jacket he wore showed off his broad shoulders and trim waist. Thick black lashes surrounded eyes that, unlike most Ahjane, were a deep, rich blue.  
  
"And since he's inherited Jerule's lands as well," Gendra said, "he's now the wealthiest Dynast on Ahjane."  
  
"And quite the catch," Rylea added with a glint in her dark eyes.  
  
"But he's Edress's nephew," Anakin observed, recalling how vile the former Dynast had been and the horrible way he had treated Onara.  
  
"Oh, but Dalan is nothing like his uncle," Gendra said quickly. "He's generous and kind. A true gentleman."  
  
"Yes," Rylea agreed. "A true gentleman. And he's been so considerate to Onara, hasn't he sister?"  
  
"Yes, very. Why he gave her the most wonderful gift as compensation for all the trouble his uncle and Jerule has caused our family," Gendra told Anakin.  
  
"Really?" Anakin said tightly, not sure he liked the idea of anyone giving the woman his master loved gifts.  
  
"Yes," Rylea said. "He gave her a lovely piece of land near the Yovana mountains. There's a beautiful chateau on it, right next to a lake."  
  
Anakin frowned as he watched as Dalan make his way through the people who were gathered around Obi-Wan and Onara, offering her their condolences. Once he reached Onara, he bowed deeply to her. As he rose from his bow, Onara gave him a warm smile. Dalan then turned to Obi-Wan whom, Anakin noted, the Dynast towered over. Obi-Wan bowed to him. The two exchanged some words, Dalan smiling cordially at the Jedi.  
  
As Anakin drew nearer he noted Onara's eyes were bright as she talked with the Dynast, but she had slipped her arm around Obi-Wan's waist and he still had his arm about her shoulder. The three talked for a moment longer, then Dalan bowed to Onara and excused himself.  
  
"Yes, he's quite the catch," Rylea murmured next to him.  
  
Anakin glanced over at her. She saw the expression on his face.  
  
"Well, it's not like it hasn't been discussed," she said defensively.  
  
"Discussed?" Anakin cried. "Onara has discussed this?"  
  
"Oh, no. Not her. But it has been bandied about the Assembly. Or so I've heard. Purely a marriage of state, of course. You see, if Onara and Dalan were to marry, well, it would....it would...  
  
She stopped and looked helplessly over at her sister.  
  
"It would stabilize the region and our planet," Gendra finished. "With K'lia's death, Ben is now Dynast of our province. But he's only a baby. If Onara were to marry Dalan, the two provinces could be joined. Ben would then be heir to one of the largest and richest provinces on Ahjane."  
  
"But Onara loves my master," Anakin blurted out.  
  
"Of course she does," Gendra said soothingly. "But, well, you and your master are returning to Coruscant, are you not?"  
  
Anakin nodded.  
  
"And your master and you will continue to be Jedi, right?"  
  
"Of course," Anakin said.  
  
Gendra touched Anakin's arm. "Please don't misunderstand me. I have a very deep affection and admiration for your master. What he did for Onara, I wish there were words to express how grateful we all are. But, Onara is a young widow and she has a son who will need a father. Unless your master is planning on leaving the Jedi, how can he possibly be here for Ben? Or for her?"  
  
Anakin looked away from Onara's aunts and over to where Obi-Wan was escorting Onara into the manor. Her head was lying against his shoulder as he held her close, but the aunts were right. How could his master continue to be a Jedi and be here for Onara and his son? Then Anakin had a terrible thought. What if, by some chance, Obi-Wan did choose to leave the Jedi Order to remain with Onara and Ben. Where would that leave him?  
  
-------------  
  
"Did she really have a blaster in all four hands, Obi-Wan?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, his blue-gray eyes dancing. "And Zaka was sitting there, just as calm as you please, as if he and Auna weren't quickly being surrounded by a mob of angry ice-miners."  
  
Onara laughed. "Oh, I wish I could have met them. They both sound delightful."  
  
"Delightful?" Obi-Wan shook his head and chuckled. "I don't know if I would use the word delightful to describe that pair, but interesting. Yes, most interesting."  
  
The two, along with Ben, who was asleep on a blanket between them, were sitting in the very grove where, all those months ago, they had watched the Katarra dance. Dusk was fast approaching, but Onara wasn't worried. The few valkons who had wandered into the forest from the Larab Mountains had all been killed sometime ago. And, she thought, even if there were any about her Jedi protector was with her.  
  
Onara looked over at Obi-Wan, noting the fine silver streaks in his red- gold hair, the tiny lines about his eyes. So much had happened. So much pain and sorrow and loss that every night, for the past week, when she had lain her head upon her pillows, she had feared she was going to wake and find Obi-Wan gone too. She would then rush from her bedchamber, certain he had left, but she would find him, having arisen and come from the room he shared with Anakin, waiting to have breakfast with her.  
  
But now, the day that Onara had feared was finally upon them. Obi-Wan had received an urgent communiqué from Coruscant, demanding his and Anakin's return. Wanting to spend some of their last day together alone, she and Obi- Wan had taken Ben from the nursery and brought him with them to the Katarra grove.  
  
Onara had not said much while they had sat and played with Ben, too entranced by the story Obi-Wan had told her of his adventures on Lianna and Toola. However, she had sensed that there were some things he was leaving out regarding what had happened, particularly about the Arkanian Douro, but she did not press him on that.  
  
Now, both of them were quiet, the only sounds the whisper of the wind through the trees and Ben's soft breathing. Onara looked down at her son, her heart swelling with joy. Never had she thought she would know such happiness and such grief. Her beloved father was dead, but he continued to live through his grandson who was now Dynast of his province.  
  
Onara had been chosen to serve as Ben's regent until he was of age, but she was fully aware that her son wasn't just a future Dynast. The blood of a Jedi Knight, the blood of the man she loved with all her heart and soul, flowed through his veins and his destiny could just as well lie along another path.  
  
"Onara."  
  
She drew her gaze away from her son and looked over at his father. Obi- Wan's eyes were shadowed, and not just from the darkness that was gathering around them. He reached over and took her hands.  
  
"Do you remember what I told about you my former master? About Qui-Gon?"  
  
Onara nodded slowly, her heart beginning to thud hard in her chest.  
  
"With his dying breath he bade me to train Anakin to become a Jedi Knight. He believed Anakin was the Chosen One, prophesied long ago. The one who was meant to bring balance to the Force."  
  
"And you believe this?"  
  
Obi-Wan lowered his head. He was silent for a time, then looked up at her.  
  
"Qui-Gon believed it. And I believed in Qui-Gon."  
  
Obi-Wan was now gripping Onara's hands so hard it hurt, but she said nothing.  
  
"Before I met you, love," he went on, "there was nothing in my heart but the Jedi Order and the Force. Now, there is more. So much more and my heart...it overflows. It overflows so much it hurts."  
  
"And it's almost as if you can no longer breathe," Onara said softly.  
  
"Yes, yes, that's it," Obi-Wan replied, his eyes filling with tears. "You and Ben...there are no words to express what you both mean to me and yet...I can not...I must not lay down this duty that was placed upon me. You see, Qui-Gon wasn't just my master or my mentor. He was my friend. And he was, in a way, my father."  
  
Obi-Wan looked over at his sleeping son. "Nothing would give me more joy than to stay here with Ben and be a father to him." He looked back at Onara. "And to stay here with you, love. But, I have to return. I must go back to the Jedi Order and complete Anakin's training. Please, love, please, say you understand."  
  
"Oh, my love, I do understand," Onara cried, her voice brimming with tears as she clutched his hands. "And if, by chance, you were to do lay down this duty given to you by your master, whether by your own decision or because, selfishly, I asked you to, then I fear I would no longer love you."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened in surprise and some of the tears brimming in them slipped down his face. Onara smiled and, reaching over, gently stroked them away.  
  
"I would no longer love you," she explained as she leaned over and kissed him, "because you would longer be Obi-Wan Kenobi. You would no longer be the man I fell in love with the night of the blessing ceremony."  
  
She leaned over and kissed him again; then she pulled away and gazed deeply into his eyes.  
  
"Believe me, my love, that what I am about to say to you..." Onara stopped and took a deep breath, then went on. "I would rather throw myself off the slopes of the Larab Mountains then say these words. But I must say them. For your sake and for Anakin's sake. I want you to go back to the Jedi. Not because I do not wish for you to stay with me, for I do. More than anything in this universe. I want you to go because I do not wish for you to become less than what you are. A Jedi Knight."  
  
Obi-Wan stared at Onara for a long moment. Then he gently clasped her face between his hands.  
  
"My dear, sweet love," he sighed. "If only things were not as they are. If only you and I were not who we are. Then I would never leave you. Never. I would stay by your side forever."  
  
"I know you would, Obi-Wan."  
  
"I don't want to leave you!" Obi-Wan suddenly cried as he desperately caressed her face, his hands trembling with the intensity of his emotions. "By the Ancients, I don't!"  
  
"And I don't want you to go," Onara sobbed, tears slipping down her face. "But I don't want to have to share you with the Jedi. I don't want to have to share you with anyone. I want you to be completely and totally mine. Is that selfish of me?"  
  
Obi-Wan smiled and kissed her wet cheeks. "No, love, it's not selfish. And if it is, then I'm selfish too, for I feel the same way."  
  
Obi-Wan gently eased Onara around Ben so that she was now sitting next to him. Their son stirred slightly, but did not awaken. As the air was growing cool, Onara reached into the basket they had brought with them and took out a blanket. She drew it snugly over Ben as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. Then she turned back to Obi-Wan. He pulled her into his arms and laid her down on the grass next to their sleeping son.  
  
"I've wanted to make love to you so much," he whispered passionately as he began to kiss her hair, her face, her throat. "Every night of this past week I've longed to go to your bedchamber and be with you the way we were on the night of the blessing ceremony."  
  
"And I have longed for you to do so," Onara whispered back.  
  
Their arms about each, they kissed, deeply and passionately, the heat between them growing with each kiss, each breath. But, even as Onara's body longed to be one with his, she knew it was not to be. Not now, possibly not ever.  
  
And, she sensed Obi-Wan knew it too, for he soon pulled away and, rising, drew her up beside him. He put his arm around her shoulder and held her close and, for a long moment, as the sky darkened to a rich purple around them, the trees seeming to meld into the darkness, Onara waited for him to speak, her lips still tingling from the fire and passion of his kisses. Then she heard Obi-Wan sigh.  
  
"Dynast Dalan is a good man," he said softly.  
  
Onara remained quiet, distressed by the direction Obi-Wan was taking the conversation.  
  
"Yes, he is," she finally admitted.  
  
"I understand the Assembly is pressing you to marry him."  
  
Onara's throat tightened. "They are."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "It would be a good marriage. Politically speaking. It would stabilize the region and, as a result, all of Ahjane would benefit."  
  
"Yes. And there is much Dalan and I...." Onara stopped and swallowed, "....we could do to help the people of our world. Perhaps, as a result of our efforts, Ahjane would even, finally, be eligible for a seat in the Senate."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at her. "Ahjane would be a welcome addition to the Senate, Onara. No longer just a protectorate, your planet would receive many benefits from full membership in the Republic."  
  
"I know," she said softly.  
  
She looked down, then felt Obi-Wan's hand on her chin, lifting her face towards his.  
  
"He is a good man, Onara," Obi-Wan repeated gently, his blue-gray eyes looking deep into hers.  
  
"I know he is," she said, the tears flowing down her cheeks. "I know marrying him will help my people. But I do not love him, Obi-Wan. I love you. I will love only you."  
  
"Would you like to hear about a dream I had?" he suddenly asked as he stroked her face.  
  
Onara nodded.  
  
"I had it the other night. You and I were on a planet, but one I'd never been on before. The sky was green and yellow and there were three suns. One large and bright, the others small and dim. And I was a farmer."  
  
"A farmer?" Onara said doubtfully, smiling through her tears.  
  
"What? Can't you see me as a farmer?"  
  
"Well, no, not really."  
  
Obi-Wan grinned. "I could have been one, you know. If Qui-Gon hadn't chosen me to be his Padawan, I would have been assigned to the AgriCorps." Obi-Wan shrugged. "Actually, thinking back on it now, perhaps it wouldn't have been such the horrible life I imagined it was going to be when I was thirteen. Anyway, in my dream I was a farmer."  
  
"And what was I?"  
  
Obi-Wan winked. "What else? A farmer's wife."  
  
Onara punched him in the shoulder, but she was laughing as she did so.  
  
"Was Ben in your dream?" she asked, still smiling.  
  
"Oh, yes. But he wasn't a baby. He was about seven or so. A very handsome lad, if I say so myself. Looked a lot like his father."  
  
Onara smiled and shook her head at him. "And was there anyone else in this bucolic, and somewhat self-congratulatory, dream of yours?"  
  
Obi-Wan frowned slightly. "Yes, or at least I sensed there were others. But I couldn't see them. You and I were walking through the fields, checking on the progress of our crops. Ben was running through the plants. He was chasing or being chased by someone because I heard not only his laughter, but someone else's. A little girl's, I think, but I couldn't see her."  
  
"It sounds like a very nice dream, Obi-Wan."  
  
"Yes, it was. It was very peaceful and full of love. I was disappointed when I woke up and realized it was only a dream."  
  
"But that's all it was, Obi-Wan," Onara said sadly. "Just a dream. You are not a farmer and I am not a farmer's wife. You are a Jedi Knight and I am the mother and regent of a future Dynast."  
  
"And possibly the wife of one?"  
  
Onara stared at Obi-Wan.  
  
"Yes, and possibly the wife of one," she finally said in a low voice.  
  
She looked away from him and down at her lap. "Obi-Wan, if I were to marry again would you...would you stay for the marriage rite? Like you did the last time?"  
  
"Would there be a blessing ceremony afterwards?" Obi-Wan asked teasingly.  
  
Onara looked up and blushed, shaking her head. "There is no longer a need for one."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled sadly. "Then, no, love, I would not stay. I do not think I could bear to see you given to someone else. Not this time. But, before I left, I would wish you and Dalan all the happiness in the world."  
  
Onara moaned softly, the pain of Obi-Wan's words like an explosion in her chest. No, not again, she thought tearfully. Why did she, once again, have to put her duty to her people above the needs of her own heart? Why could she not be with and marry the man she loved?  
  
It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. Then, no longer able to contain the grief she had kept to herself over the deaths of her beloved father and the gentle Master Eo and now, the looming loss of her one and only love, Onara dropped her face into her hands and wept, the sobs wracking her body.  
  
Quickly pulling her to him, Obi-Wan held her tightly, held her even as the stars came out and the moon sailed above them, held her even as Ben awoke and gazed quietly at his mother and father as they cried in each other's arms.  
  
To be continued.... 


	37. Part ThirtySeven

First Knight - Part Thirty-Seven  
  
--------------  
  
"And you're absolutely certain about this?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Sinja-Bau looked over at him and smiled. The two were walking through the gardens behind the manor. It was the morning of the day he and Anakin were scheduled to leave to return to Coruscant. Sinja-Bau had invited him to join her in the garden for a morning meditation. Afterwards, he had asked if she was still of a mind to remain on Ahjane.  
  
"Yes, I am absolutely certain, Obi-Wan. Onara and I have, as you've more than likely observed, become very close. I will stay here with her."  
  
"But, now that your powers have been restored to you, you could be of service again."  
  
Sinja-Bau sighed and shook her head. "Oh my dear Obi-Wan. So wise and yet so naive."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned. "What do you mean?"  
  
Sinja-Bau stopped walking, forcing Obi-Wan to turn and face her.  
  
"Who was it that blinded me to the Force?"  
  
"The Council."  
  
"Correct. It was their decision as the arbiters, or so they believe, of the will of the Force that I be stripped of my ability to use it. And, in light of what happened to me, of my madness, their decision was the correct one. However, in spite of what they did, my powers have been given back to me. Think, my young Jedi. How do you think that will sit with the Council?"  
  
Obi-Wan quickly ran through his mind all the different members of the Council, recalling their individual personalities, beliefs and value systems. Then he sighed.  
  
"There will be some who will not be pleased," he finally admitted.  
  
Sinja-Bau raised her eyebrows. "Some who will not be pleased? That is a major understatement, my brother. Trust me. It will not only upset some of them, it will frighten them. You can not deny that what has happened to me is unprecedented."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.  
  
Sinja-Bau's blue-green eyes narrowed. "And I read Eo's mission notes regarding what happened with you and your apprentice. How you called upon the dark side of the Force and used it to bring Onara's spirit back from the abyss with the aid of the one who is believed to be the Chosen One. The One who will bring balance. Again, unprecedented."  
  
Sinja-Bau then stopped and looked around the garden. Obi-Wan looked with her. He had noted during his meditation that the honey-roses were no longer in bloom. There was a chill in the air that hinted at the coming of autumn and, after that, the cold and sterility of winter. Sinja-Bau looked back at him.  
  
"Change, revolution, transformation," she said. "For some, such words bring promise, hope and optimism. For others, fear, dread and apprehension. No, my brother, I will not return with you to the Temple. There is nothing for me there. You have told me that when I was in the grip of my madness, I spoke of the destruction of the Jedi Order."  
  
Sinja-Bau shrugged. "I can no longer remember those visions or what they mean. But, change is imminent, Obi-Wan. An upheaval is coming, politically, socially, spiritually, and it will shake the very foundations of the galaxy. Whether for good or ill this change comes, I do not know, but it is coming. And one does not need to be a Jedi or Force sensitive to see this."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. He and Qui-Gon had often discussed the growing corruption in the Senate, the fraying along the borders of the Republic as more and more of the outer systems spoke of breaking away from what they saw as the choking grip of an inefficient and decadent political system, and the equally alarming inability of the Jedi to hold things together. And, in the years since Qui-Gon's death, things had only gotten worse.  
  
"I can not deny the truth of your words, Sinja-Bau," Obi-Wan said. "And, in light of them, I wish you would reconsider your decision. The Order needs you. However, I will respect and honor your wishes not to return."  
  
"Thank you, Obi-Wan."  
  
Then she reached over and tightly gripped his arm. "But, as for you, my brother, be careful. There is danger and great peril in the wind, of that I am sure. If I thought you would listen, I would urge you to take Onara and your son and flee with them to the Unknown Regions."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "Even if I could do such a thing, I would not. Now, more than ever, the Order needs all its Jedi and I will not abandon it. And...." Obi-Wan stopped and sighed. "Onara is not mine to take or to have. She and Dalan are to be married in a month."  
  
"That is true. But Ben is and will always be your son."  
  
"Yes," Obi-Wan said softly, trying to hide from Sinja-Bau the pain that was even now twisting around his heart. "But Onara has assured me he will always know I am his father."  
  
Sinja-Bau reached up and cupped Obi-Wan's face. He looked down at her. She was no longer the half-starved, raving madwoman he had found on the icy wasteland of Toola. She was more like the image of the woman at the Jedi Temple. The Ahjane gown she worn of green and gold accentuated her lithe, trim figure and her white hair, having been seen to by Onara's servants, now lay thick and shining upon her shoulders.  
  
"Onara will marry this man, for the good of her people and her world," Sinja-Bau said to him. "She will marry him, she will share his bed and she may, perhaps, even bear him a child, but trust me, my brother, you are and will always be her one and only love. This I know."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, but said nothing. He quickly blinked away the tears that were stinging his eyes. Sinja-Bau removed her hand from his face and, slipping it through his arm, walked with him back towards the manor.  
  
"So, what will you do here on Ahjane?" Obi-Wan asked, once he was certain he could speak without his voice betraying his heartache.  
  
"Onara has asked me to help with the Regency for your son. And, poor dear, I don't think she has any idea what it's going to be like having a Force- sensitive child. I will help her with that also."  
  
"I'm glad you'll be here to help her with Ben." Obi-Wan smiled, pleased he could still do so despite the pain ravaging his heart. "And you're right. The first time Ben levitates one of his toys..."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head, chuckling, as he imagined the look on Onara's face. Sinja-Bau laughed with him as they entered the manor.  
  
-------------  
  
Anakin loaded the last of his gear into the blue speeder-car. Glancing down, he made sure his lightsaber was attached to his utility belt. Having lost it during his fight with Rhad, he was determined never to have such a thing happen to him again. He then looked over at the front of the manor.  
  
There was a small crowd gathered there. Onara, Ben in her arms, along with her aunts and Sinja-Bau, were standing on the front steps. A few of the servants were also present, including Simtro and Keria, the young blonde girl who had tended Anakin's leg. She looked over at Anakin and waved. He waved back.  
  
Obi-Wan was walking towards the group after having loaded his travel bag into the speeder. He stopped in front of Onara who had come down the rest of the steps to meet him. The two stood and looked at each and, even from where he was standing, Anakin felt the powerful currents of emotions running between them. Obi-Wan smiled and, leaning down, gently took Ben from Onara's arms. He kissed his son tenderly on his forehead, held him for a moment, then handed him back to Onara.  
  
Onara gazed up at Obi-Wan, her dark eyes brimming with tears. Obi-Wan bent down and pressed his mouth against her ear. Anakin saw his lips moving. As Obi-Wan continued to whisper to her, the tears flowed unchecked down her face. She nodded at some of his words, her throat working. Obi-Wan then pulled away and, putting his hands on her shoulders, looked solemnly down at her.  
  
"I will remember," Anakin heard Onara say. "I will always remember, my love."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled and kissed her forehead. He looked over at the rest of those gathered and went over to them, taking their hands, receiving their farewells and good wishes. Anakin stood apart, leaning against the speeder. He hated goodbyes. Then he saw Onara walking towards him. Once she reached him, she stopped.  
  
"Ben wants to say goodbye, Anakin," she said smiling, her face glistening with her tears.  
  
Anakin looked down at the baby. He was staring up at him, his blue-gray eyes bright.  
  
"Hey, you," Anakin said as he gave Ben a finger to hold. The baby grasped it tightly.  
  
"Now, I want you to be a good boy and don't drive your Mommy crazy, okay?" Anakin went on. "Mommies are very special people and you should always be nice to them."  
  
Ben gurgled at Anakin, his toothless mouth spread in a smile.  
  
"I'm going to take that as an affirmative," Anakin said grinning.  
  
Onara laughed, then reaching over, took his arm.  
  
"I will never forget what you did, Anakin," she said gravely. "Going after Ben and saving him. If ever you need anything, anything at all, come to me and, if it's within my power, I will give it to you. I promise."  
  
"Thanks, Onara. But, you don't have to do anything for me. I just wish..." Anakin stopped. He bit his lip and looked down. "I just wish you and Master Obi-Wan could be..." He stopped and shook his head. "I can't help feeling it's my fault that you and he can't---"  
  
"No, Anakin, no," Onara said firmly, her dark eyes serious as she squeezed his arm. "You must never think that. It's not your fault. It's just the way things are. Obi-Wan is a Jedi Knight. And, someday, you will be one too."  
  
Anakin nodded, but he still wasn't convinced he wasn't at the heart of why his master and Onara couldn't be together. He looked over as Obi-Wan came and stood next to Onara.  
  
"It's time," he told her.  
  
"Yes. I know." She looked up at him, then over at Anakin. "Good luck you two, and may the Force be with you both."  
  
"And with you, Onara," Anakin said.  
  
Then, still hating goodbyes, Anakin turned and got into the driver's seat of the speeder. He watched as Obi-Wan cupped Onara's chin with his fingers.  
  
"Goodbye, love," he said softly, and Anakin could hear and sense all Obi- Wan's grief and sorrow and loss in those two simple words.  
  
"Goodbye, my heart," Onara said, her voice breaking, the tears once again flowing down her cheeks.  
  
Obi-Wan held her face a moment longer, gently caressing it. He leaned down, kissed her long and soft on her lips, gave Ben another kiss, then, with a wide sweep of his Jedi robes, quickly turned and climbed into the speeder.  
  
"Go, Anakin," Obi-Wan rasped, his voice tight and raw as he gazed longingly over at Onara and Ben. "Now. Please. Before I..."  
  
"Yes, Master, I understand," Anakin said quietly.  
  
He activated the speeder and, with a low roar of its engine, hit the accelerator and sped away from the manor towards the starport.  
  
---------------------  
  
The Red Tide member who had survived and escaped the debacle at Dynast K'lia's manor stppd before Latan, the leader of the Red Tide. He had just given his report of what had occurred that night.  
  
"And the bodies?" Latan asked in a clipped voice, his storm-gray eyes hooded.  
  
"All burned, sir. Their ashes scattered. Along with Lady Tsara's."  
  
"Who cares about that old witch?" Latan snapped.  
  
This was all her doing. Latan had not only lost ten of his best men, but his only son, Rhad, was among the dead.  
  
"And the name of the one who killed my son?"  
  
"Skywalker, sir. Anakin Skywalker."  
  
Latan stared at the man, then dismissed him. Once the door had closed and Latan was alone in his study, he clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing. Skywalker. That was a name he intended to remember. Yes, remember for as long as it took for him to get his revenge against the Jedi for having taken the life of his son.  
  
------------------------  
  
Anakin nervously adjusted the collar of his robe. He glanced over at Obi- Wan. As he had since they had arrived back on Coruscant, the Jedi Knight was the epitome of stoicism. His blue-gray eyes revealed nothing of what was going on inside him. His expression was one of utter and complete calm, his arms were folded within the sleeves of his robes and, unlike Anakin, who couldn't help fidgeting and sighing, he stood still and quiet, his gaze fastened on the large, closed doors of the Jedi Council Chamber.  
  
Obi-Wan and Anakin had been back only a day when they were summoned to appear before the Council. And the only reason they hadn't been summoned earlier, Anakin later learned, was because the Council had wanted to read Obi-Wan's report of what had happened on Ahjane, particularly as it related to the death of Master Eo.  
  
Obi-Wan had quickly written a report and had it delivered to the Council late last night. The summons to appear had come early in the morning, giving both master and apprentice just enough time to shower and eat. Anakin cleared his throat, conscious of beads of sweat popping out on his forehead.  
  
"Relax, Padawan," Obi-Wan said quietly.  
  
"It's hard, Master," Anakin replied. "They tell us to hurry up and get here and now they have us standing out here waiting."  
  
"Then wait we shall. I would suggest that in the interim you practice some of your meditations."  
  
Anakin released a deep breath. He closed his eyes but, just as he was about to begin his meditation, he heard the doors of the chamber opening. He opened his eyes, readjusted his robe and followed Obi-Wan into the chamber.  
  
As was expected all the members of the Council were inside and seated. Anakin recalled his first time ever standing in this room. He had been only nine, a recently freed-slave, still dressed in his dusty, rough work clothes, full of fear as he stood alone during his testing, but determined not to show it. But Yoda had sensed his fear and had warned Anakin of how it could lead to the dark side.  
  
Now, as Anakin walked inside and stood on the mosaic floor in the center of the large circular room, he felt that fear again. But not for him. This time he felt it for Obi-Wan. Outside the large, wide windows of the chamber, Anakin saw that the sky was furrowed with low-lying formless gray clouds. They reflected his sense of foreboding.  
  
As his master bowed to where Yoda and Mace were sitting, Anakin did so also. Rising from his bow, he cast out with his feelings and tried to discern the mood of the Council, for there was no use attempting to do so by looking at their stoic, emotionless faces. But, he couldn't detect anything. The Council, as usual, was effectively concealing their thoughts.  
  
"Master Obi-Wan. Padawan Skywalker. Before this Council you have been called your recent actions to explain."  
  
"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied.  
  
"Grave are the charges that stand before you. Understand this you do?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded and Anakin followed him a beat after.  
  
"However, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said quickly. "I hope it is clear to the Council that my Padawan is entirely blameless in this matter. Whatever he did, he did because I ordered him to."  
  
"But, Master, I----"  
  
Obi-Wan glanced over at Anakin and gave him a hard stare. Anakin looked down at the floor, then back at Master Yoda. He knew what Obi-Wan was doing, but Anakin didn't want to be protected. Whatever punishment his master suffered, he wanted to share it with him. But he remained silent.  
  
"Understand that the Council does. Summoned here your Padawan was because what will happen to you, affect on him it will have."  
  
Anakin frowned. He didn't like the sound of that. He looked over at Master Windu, but he could discern nothing in his dark eyes. Yoda glanced over at Windu who cleared his throat and leaned slightly forward.  
  
"Master Obi-Wan, we have read your report and, I daresay, what you have relayed to us is most disturbing."  
  
Windu then paused and glanced around at the other members of the Council.  
  
"Not only did you deliberately ignore a summons from the Jedi Council to appear before us, but, as a result of your actions, one of the Order's most revered Healers is now dead."  
  
"But, Master Eo wanted to help---" Anakin begin.  
  
"Be silent, young one," Yoda said quickly, but gently.  
  
Anakin closed his mouth, but he felt like he was going to blow apart for he could already see where this was going. Mace looked at Anakin for a long moment, then turned his attention back to Obi-Wan.  
  
"In addition, you freely admit that you fathered a child while on a mission for the Republic and called upon the dark side in order to bring back the spirit of that child's mother."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, but remained silent. Then Anakin heard a sound from just behind him. It took all his willpower not to turn around, but he didn't need to for he knew who had made that sound and why. The sound was the one the mouth made when conveying disgust and it was coming from Jedi Master Oppo Rancisis. The Thisspiasian was well-known for his rigidly conservative views and unwavering loyalty to the Order.  
  
"Something to say have you, Master Rancisis?" Yoda asked, directing his voice across the room to where Oppo was sitting.  
  
"I do not see why we are even wasting time discussing this," Oppo said in his high nasal voice. "Master Kenobi not only willfully ignored a summons from the Jedi Council, but from his own words admits he has violated some of the most sacred of our tenets."  
  
Oppo leaned forward over his serpentine body. His eyes peered intensely at Obi-Wan from amid the long white hair that covered his face and head. He lifted his gnarly, long-clawed hand and counted off.  
  
"First, a Jedi's loyalty must be to the Force, to the Jedi Order, to the Republic, and to himself, in that order. That is why relationships, such as the one Master Kenobi indulged himself in, are forbidden. Second, a Jedi must practice honesty. Master Kenobi deliberately left out in his initial report regarding his mission to Ahjane this blessing ceremony he participated in. Third, a Jedi must always conduct him or herself in a manner that will reflect positively upon the Order. Master Kenobi's actions while on Ahjane, Lianna and Toola have done the Order incalculable harm. Finally, a Jedi should honor life and seek to avoid taking it. The deliberate ending of a life strengthens the dark side. Master Kenobi confesses that while on this unauthorized search for Sinja-Bau he killed, taking the lives of whose who, it not for his having strayed from the Jedi path, would still be alive."  
  
Oppo leaned back in his chair, his clawed hands folded before him.  
  
"What should be done is clear," he went on. "Master Kenobi must be expelled from the Jedi Order."  
  
Anakin's heart thumped hard in his chest and, just as he was about to whirl around and confront Oppo, he felt Obi-Wan bumping him gently against the shoulder. Anakin closed his eyes and drew in a deep calming breath. Then he opened his eyes and looked over at Obi-Wan. His master was still facing Yoda and Windu, but Anakin took some comfort from the fact that Obi-Wan seemed unperturbed by Oppo's statement.  
  
"That's rather harsh and quite premature, Master Rancisis," Anakin heard Adi Gallia say in her soft, melodious voice.  
  
"I do not think it is neither harsh nor premature, Master Adi," Oppo replied. "It is more than obvious that Master Kenobi has violated the Jedi Code and done so quite deliberately and willfully. Expulsion is the only answer."  
  
Yoda shook his head, his hands folded beneath his chin as he stared across at Oppo.  
  
"No such thing is there as an only answer, Master Rancisis. As to fate of Master Obi-Wan, vote on that the Council will."  
  
Yoda directed his gaze back at Obi-Wan. "Have you anything to say, Obi- Wan?"  
  
"I regret and I deeply grieve the loss of Master Eo," Obi-Wan began, his voice low but clearly audible in the acoustically perfect chamber. "I asked him to accompany me to Ahjane to save the life of the woman who bore my child and, while there, he gave his life trying to protect my son. I...."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped and Anakin detected some emotion slipping through the impassive, smooth tone Obi-Wan had been using to address the Council.  
  
"I only wish he were here so that I could thank him," Obi-Wan finished softly. "As for the other charges that have been levied against me, I did what I thought best under the circumstances."  
  
"Be that as it may, Master Obi-Wan," Oppo's shrill voice interrupted, "if not for your reckless, inexcusable and immoral behavior in conceiving this child, none of this would have happened."  
  
Anakin firmed his mouth, his hands clenching and unclenching. Oppo is a Jedi, he kept reminding himself, and you can't go around throttling fellow Jedi.  
  
Yoda raised his hand as a signal to Oppo to remain silent.  
  
"Approval I gave to Master Obi-Wan to participate in this ceremony. Conception of this child was not his intention."  
  
Oppo snorted at that. "It may not have been his intention, but his having engaged in carnal relations with this woman brought the conception about, whether voluntarily or not."  
  
Yoda frowned at Oppo. "What was done is done. Going over this now, good it will do not. What matters now is what is to be done."  
  
"Expulsion," Oppo spat out. "This is not the time for the Jedi Order to be sullied by such irresponsible behavior as has been displayed by Master Kenobi. There is already enough unrest within the Republic regarding our place in the scheme of things. We certainly do not need members of our Order running about renegade."  
  
"Master Kenobi is not a renegade," Anakin heard the low, throbbing voice of Master Even Piell.  
  
Although not much taller than Yoda, the Lannik was a fearless warrior. Having lost his left eye in battle, he repeatedly refused a prosthetic replacement, looking upon his scar as a sign of honor.  
  
"He is one of the finest Jedi in our Order and I find it reprehensible and most disturbing that he has been called before us and required to answer charges as if he were some common criminal," Piell went on. "I do not entirely condone everything he did, but I see nothing in his report to suggest that Master Kenobi acted other than with compassion and empathy. He did none of these things he's accused of to aggrandize himself, nor out of a desire for power or glory. He did what he did to save the life of a woman and her child. And if that is a violation of the Jedi Code, then perhaps being a Jedi is no longer what I wish to be."  
  
Again, Anakin had to bite his tongue, but this time to keep from cheering. He glanced over at Yoda and saw something moving behind those large, leaf- green eyes as he looked over at Piell, but he could not discern what it was.  
  
"Master Obi-Wan, what of Sinja-Bau?" a calm, cultured voice asked.  
  
Anakin looked over at Ki-Adi-Mundi. At the time Anakin had been brought before the Council for his testing all those years ago, the Cerean had only been a Jedi Knight, the only member of the Council of that rank. Since then he had trained a Padawan through knighthood and become a Jedi Master.  
  
"Excuse me, Master?" Obi-Wan said.  
  
"You mentioned in your report that you found her and brought her back to Ahjane, but you did not mention what became of her."  
  
"Sinja-Bau chose to remain on Ahjane, Master."  
  
"Chose to remain?" Oppo sputtered. "How could she choose to do anything? She's mad."  
  
"No, Master Oppo," Obi-Wan said calmly. "She is not."  
  
"What do you mean?" Mace asked, leaning forward quickly.  
  
"I did not put this in my report, because I thought it best to relay this information in person," Obi-Wan said. "Sinja-Bau is no longer insane. Her sanity was restored to her. Along with her ability to use the Force."  
  
Cries and shouts of disbelief and surprise echoed around the room. If the situation weren't so dire, Anakin would have thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many esteemed Jedi Masters in such a lather. But he also sensed that this news about Sinja-Bau wasn't going to do his master any good.  
  
"That's impossible," Eeth Koth's deep voice pierced through the clamor.  
  
Anakin looked over at him. The Sith who killed Qui-Gon was rumored to have been of the same species as Koth and, although the Zabrak had conducted an extensive investigation into the matter, had yet to discover the true heritage of the deceased Sith Lord. Anakin was of the opinion that, as a result of the rumors, Koth was even more of a conservative than Oppo when it came to the Jedi Order and its Code.  
  
"She was blinded to the Force," Koth continued firmly. "There is no way she could have regained her ability to use it."  
  
"No way that we know of," Plo Koon said, his voice filtering through the antiox mask he wore to protect himself from oxygen-rich atmospheres. The Kel Dor had been a very close friend of Qui-Gon's and had shared some of his friend's beliefs regarding the Force.  
  
"No, no, it's impossible," Oppo said shrilly. "Impossible. Master Kenobi is lying."  
  
Obi-Wan turned slightly so that he was looking at Oppo.  
  
"I can assure you, Master Oppo," he said coolly. "I am not lying. The Force is with Sinja-Bau. It gave her back her powers."  
  
"Well, if what you say is true, and I find it hard to believe that it is, why is she not here?" Oppo demanded. "Why did she not come back?"  
  
"Why would she want to!" Anakin suddenly blurted out.  
  
Then his face warmed as all the Council members stared at him. Although Anakin had feared Sinja-Bau, based upon all the stories he had heard about her madness, once he finally did meet her he had discovered she was a warm and gentle woman who reminded him a lot of his mother.  
  
"Forgive me, Masters," he said quickly. He looked down at the toes of his boots.  
  
"Padawan Skywalker speaks truly," Yoda said in the echoing silence that had followed Anakin's outburst. "Cast out from the Order she was. Another path she has chosen to follow. Respect this we will."  
  
"But Master Yoda," Oppo said, his voice rising even higher, "if what Obi- Wan says is true, Sinja-Bau is dangerous. She should be brought here before us and----"  
  
"And what, Master Oppo?" Obi-Wan suddenly interjected, his voice low, but throbbing with, Anakin sensed, barely suppressed anger. "Blinded to the Force again? Sinja-Bau is no longer a danger. You have my word on that. Her madness is gone. She remains on Ahjane to assist Lady Onara and to see after...to see after my son."  
  
"Train him she will?" Yoda asked.  
  
Obi-Wan turned back to the tiny Jedi. "She will...see to his needs. And to that of his mother as she faces the challenges of dealing with a Force- sensitive child."  
  
Anakin was surprised to see a small smile on Yoda's face as he nodded.  
  
"And that's another thing," Oppo cried out. "If this child is Force- sensitive, he should be here at the Temple where he can be properly trained."  
  
"Lady Onara wants her son to remain with her. And remain with her he will," Obi-Wan said in a firm voice. "He's the future Dynast of her province. Her wish is for him to assume that office someday."  
  
"Then respect her wishes we will," Yoda pronounced. "Only with the parents permission, both the parents' permission," he emphasized, "are children to be brought to the Temple to be trained. Therefore, discuss this no more we will. Now, time it is for us to vote on what should be done with Master Obi- Wan."  
  
He looked over at Obi-Wan and Anakin. "Dismissed you both are. Our decision we will apprise you of when reached it we have."  
  
The two men bowed deeply to Yoda and, turning as one, left the Council Chamber. Once they were through the tall doors and they had closed behind them, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan.  
  
"Master, I have a bad feeling about this. What do you think they're going to do? They can't expel you. You didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"Didn't I, Anakin?" Obi-Wan said softly. "Remember the Code, Padawan. There is no passion; there is serenity. I let my passion for Onara override all I have been taught as a Jedi. And because of that passion I neglected my duty, brought about the death of a fellow Jedi, tainted myself with the dark side...and I killed. And you killed also, Anakin. But you did so because I asked you to protect Onara and Ben. I let my feelings for them take precedent over my responsibility to you as your Master."  
  
"But, Master---"  
  
Obi-Wan reached over and took Anakin's arm. "The Council is right. I have not set a good example." He stopped and looked around him. "Perhaps it was coming back here after all that has happened which has made me see the errors of my ways. This is who I am, Anakin. This is where I belong."  
  
Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everything Obi-Wan had done on Ahjane to save Onara's life and protect his son had felt right to Anakin and had rang true in every fiber of his being. If you truly loved someone, Anakin ardently believed, nothing else mattered. Nothing. You gave up the world for them, you gave up your life for them, you gave up everything for them. And he knew that Obi-Wan truly loved Onara and Ben.  
  
"You haven't wronged me," Anakin said, his voice thick with emotion. "You haven't set a bad example. I was proud of you, Master. I was proud of everything you did. And I agree with Master Piell. If saving the life of the woman you love and the child she bore you is a violation of the Jedi Code, then I'm not sure I want to be a Jedi either."  
  
Obi-Wan gripped Anakin's arm. "No, do not say that. You are a Jedi and I will see to it that you become a Jedi Knight."  
  
"But what about Onara? What about Ben?"  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes suddenly clouded over and even without the Force Anakin could feel the deep pain surging through his master.  
  
"They are lost to me, Anakin," he said softly. "Now, all I have is you and the Jedi Order."  
  
"But you're still Ben's father."  
  
"I think....I think I will write Onara and ask her not to tell Ben about me."  
  
"What?" Anakin cried. "But why, Master?"  
  
"Dynast Dalan will be a good father to him, Anakin. Ben doesn't need to be confused that way. It would not be good for him. I want him and Onara to be happy. And I know they will be happy with Dalan. He truly loves her, Anakin."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at the look on Anakin's face. "Yes, truly. He told me so. He has loved Onara since the first time he saw her when Edress brought her to Kindah Province as his wife. But, being that she was his uncle's wife, he kept that love to himself. Don't you see, Anakin. I can not make Onara happy. I know that. If I were to remain a Jedi, I could not be there for her and Ben the way a husband and a father should be. And if I were to leave the Jedi...I would not be myself. Dalan can be the husband and the father that I can not."  
  
"But Master---"  
  
Obi-Wan quickly shook his head and withdraw his hand from Anakin's arm.  
  
"I do not wish to discuss it any longer, Anakin. Come, we will go and await the Council's decision."  
  
As Obi-Wan walked down the hall away from the Council Chamber, Anakin stood and watched him. He knew what his master was doing and it made his heart ache. Obi-Wan was going to sever all ties with Onara and Ben, not only because he thought it was best for them, but for Anakin.  
  
Anakin sighed heavily, then ran to catch up with his master. He wanted to grab Obi-Wan, shake him and tell him that it wasn't a sin to love, that the Code was wrong on that. Anakin loved his mother and he would always love her and the Order's attempts to lessen that love would never succeed. And there was one other he loved, a love from long ago, a love that had walked out of the bright, dusty streets of Mos Epsa and into the darkness of Watto's shop and claimed his soul. It was a secret he kept hidden deep in his heart and a love, he now swore, he would never give up.  
  
But, as Anakin strode down the hall with Obi-Wan towards the lift that would take them to the lower levels of the Temple, he remained silent. Instead, he wondered if his dream to become a Jedi was going to prove a nightmare for everyone else.  
  
To be continued.... 


	38. Part ThirtyEight

First Knight - Part Thirty-Eight  
  
----------  
  
"It's not fair," Anakin said as he watched Obi-Wan packing his things.  
  
"It's not a question of fair, Padawan. It's a question of what is right."  
  
"But you didn't do anything wrong, Master."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped as he put the last of his clothing into his travel case. He looked over at his apprentice and noted the pain in his eyes.  
  
"The Council saw differently," he said gently. "And we must abide by their decision."  
  
"But I don't want another master. You're my master!"  
  
Obi-Wan finished closing his satchel. He walked over to where Anakin was standing and put his hand on his shoulder.  
  
"And you are my Padawan. But, remember, it's not a permanent arrangement. And you will learn much under Master Kohulann's tutelage."  
  
"I know, Master. But, well, he's short."  
  
Obi-Wan chuckled. Kohulann was a Sullustan and about two feet shorter than Anakin.  
  
"Remember, Anakin, size matters..."  
  
"Yes, yes I know," Anakin grumbled. "I just hope I don't trip over him or something while we're on a mission."  
  
Obi-Wan turned back to his packing. "Well, look at it as a lesson on learning to pay close attention to your surroundings. Now, I think I've packed everything."  
  
Anakin looked over at the table in Obi-Wan's quarters. "Master, you forgot your datapad."  
  
He went over, picked it up and handed it to Obi-Wan. The Jedi looked down at the datapad, his heart beating hard as he recalled what was stored inside it.  
  
"Master, you should know I read those poems you had in it to Onara."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled. "I know, Anakin. She told me. Now, it's time for you to go. My transport for Bestine will be leaving shortly and you're scheduled to meet with Master Kohulann."  
  
"I was hoping to see you off, Master."  
  
"That will not be necessary, but I appreciate the thought."  
  
"I still can't believe they're sending you to Bestine. The planet's nothing but a huge ocean."  
  
"Not quite, Anakin. There are some islands on it."  
  
"Humph, nothing but rocks sticking up out of the water."  
  
"Well on one of those rocks is a Jedi Chapterhouse. It will be a good place for me to be, Anakin, in order to do as the Council has instructed. They could have expelled me. Instead, they have sent me on this retreat in order that I might meditate, reflect and find my way back to the Jedi path."  
  
"Master," Anakin said, his blue eyes burning with conviction, "you never left the Jedi path."  
  
Obi-Wan's heart warmed at Anakin's words. He smiled. Then, as he thought of something he had been meaning to speak to Anakin about, he frowned.  
  
"Anakin, the ship you borrowed from Chancellor Palpatine."  
  
"Yes, what about it?"  
  
"Did you know a tracking device had been placed on it?"  
  
"A tracking device? No, I didn't."  
  
"It was discovered while I was on my way back to Ahjane from Lianna. Do you have any idea why it was on the ship?"  
  
"No Master, none whatsoever. Perhaps the Chancellor had it put on the ship for some reason, prior to loaning it to me, and forgot to have it removed."  
  
Obi-Wan released a breath and shook his head. "I don't know, Anakin, but I would advise you to be wary of the Chancellor."  
  
"Be wary of him? Master, I know you don't care much for politicians, but I think you're overreacting. The Chancellor is a good man. I'm sure there's some logical and perfectly legitimate explanation for the tracking device."  
  
"Perhaps, but, please, at least be careful in your dealings with him."  
  
"Well, if it will make you feel better, Master, I'll be careful. But I still think you're making a mole hill out of a mountain."  
  
"That's a mountain out of a mole hill, Anakin," Obi-Wan said smiling.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Anakin said, as he dipped his head in the way that signaled he was embarrassed. Obi-Wan smiled. It was one of the things, over the years, that had endeared Anakin to him. Reaching over, he grabbed his arm and shook it.  
  
"Go on, Anakin. I will see you in a few months," he said quickly, suddenly overwhelmed with feelings he did not want to dwell on.  
  
"May the Force be with you, Master," Anakin said.  
  
"And with you, Anakin."  
  
Anakin hesitated for a moment, his eyes glittering in the lights of the room, then he quickly turned and nearly ran out of Obi-Wan's quarters. Once the door slid closed behind him, Obi-Wan turned on the datapad. He scrolled through until he found the file containing Nomi Sunrider's love poems. He gazed at the file for a moment, then pushed the erase button. However, Obi- Wan was quite aware that he had memorized every one of those poems and he would never be able to erase them entirely from his heart.  
  
He turned and slid the datapad into his shoulder satchel. Looking around to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, he saw the holo-pendant K'lia had given him lying on his nightstand. He went over and picked it up. Pressing the bottom he turned it on.  
  
Onara smiled warmly up at him, Ben in her arms. Obi-Wan's throat tightened. He quickly turned the hologram off. Opening the drawer of the nightstand he was about to put the pendant inside it, but he stopped, his hand clutched tightly around the pendant.  
  
The pulse in his fingers beat hard, his breath coming long and slow in his lungs. Then, reaching up, he quickly put the pendant around his neck, slipping it under his tunic. It lay against his chest, its coolness soon warmed by his skin. With that, he picked up his shoulder satchel and travel case and, without a backward glance, left his quarters in the Jedi Temple.  
  
-------------  
  
"Not much you said during the meeting," Yoda remarked as he and Windu walked through the Room of a Thousand Fountains.  
  
Mace shrugged his broad shoulders.  
  
"The Council seemed quite capable of making its decision without my input."  
  
"Or your vote," Yoda added."  
  
Mace gave Yoda a hard stare. "You abstained also."  
  
"But my reason for abstaining you know. Your reason for doing so I do not."  
  
"I chose to abstain from the vote for the same reason you did. Because I knew it would be a divisive vote. As the senior members of the Council, it is important for its continued cohesion that we appear neutral in these disputes."  
  
"Which, you must admit, with more frequency are arising."  
  
Mace said nothing, his hands clasped behind him.  
  
"Close the vote was," Yoda went on. "Six to four to send Master Obi-Wan to Bestine."  
  
"It could have been worse. Expulsion."  
  
Yoda shook his head. "No, not that blind the Council is. That was Master Oppo's solitary voice crying for expulsion and growing old he is."  
  
Mace shook his head, suppressing a laugh. Yoda was one to talk about age. Master Oppo was nearly 200 standards, which was quite ancient for a Thisspian, but Yoda was over 800 standards. But, Mace supposed, age, like so much in life, was all relative.  
  
"Great Jedi Obi-Wan is," Yoda said thoughtfully. "One of the finest ever trained. Needed he is the Council knows. You do not cut off your arm when into battle you are about to go."  
  
"Is that what you think is coming? War?"  
  
Yoda grunted as he used his walking stick to maneuver over the grass.  
  
"The dark side grows, Master Windu. Feel it you do."  
  
Mace nodded. "We must stay the course."  
  
"We must."  
  
"And Obi-Wan will return to us."  
  
"Yes, return he will," Yoda said firmly. "A stronger Jedi, a more committed Jedi."  
  
"Stronger, yes. But more committed? I wonder."  
  
The two Jedi Masters silently continued their meditative walk through the gardens of the Room of a Thousand Fountains.  
  
---------------  
  
Dooku looked over to where Lord Sidious was standing in the shadows of his secret chamber on Coruscant. He could sense that, as always, his dark master's thoughts were spread across the galaxy, conscious of every one of the plots, intrigues and strategies the two had set into motion.  
  
The Grand Design as Dooku liked to think of it. The Grand Design that would remake the galaxy and bring it the order and stability it so desperately needed. What had happened on Ahjane regarding Lady Tsara was just a minor flux in the near-perfect unfolding of their plan for, as Dooku had suspected, she had proven to be an amateur, failing with her schemes and getting herself killed in the process.  
  
"Think not of it, Lord Tyrannus," Sidious said, his voice rasping from underneath his hood as he turned to face his apprentice. "It will not affect our plans."  
  
"But, Master," Dooku said hesitantly. "The disturbance in the Force..."  
  
"...is of no consequence."  
  
Dooku's mouth twisted. He did not agree with Sidious' cavalier attitude toward the disturbance both of the Sith had detected in the Force following the events on Ahjane. The light side and the dark side were like most polarities in nature; striving for balance but rarely achieving it. Usually one or the other dominated.  
  
For long centuries the light side of Force had held sway over the galaxy. Now it was time for the darkness to rise. The troll and his companions of fools who made up the Council were always blathering about the balance of the Force. They even believed that the Skywalker boy was the one who was fated to bring about that balance. Lord Sidious, on the other hand, had seen another potential in Skywalker. A potential so great he had taken measures to preserve it in case, Darkness forbid, things did not go as he had foreseen.  
  
"That is correct, Lord Tyrannus," Sidious said as he walked slowly over to Dooku's side, breaking in and reading Dooku's thoughts at the same time. "The setback on Ahjane is of no matter. Things are still proceeding as I have foreseen."  
  
Dooku nodded as he moved next to Sidious and followed him out of the inner chamber where the two studied the countless Sith artifacts, scrolls and holocrons they had gathered from across the galaxy but, and he hid this thought as deep within himself as he could so Sidious would not detect it, Dooku was not feeling as confident as his master was. Something had happened on Ahjane that had sent a ripple through the Force. Something that, perhaps, could undo all their dark plans.  
  
-------------  
  
"It's all my fault, Sinja-Bau," Onara said softly.  
  
"Whatever do you mean, dear?" Sinja-Bau asked.  
  
The two women were standing outside in the garden. The sun had gone done long ago. Most of the servants had retired for the evening and Ben was asleep in his nursery. Onara clutched a gold-patterned shawl around her shoulders. The night air was cool now that autumn was drawing closer. Her dark hair, which she had worn up all day as she had met with the members of the Assembly who had come to the manor to discuss Ben's Regency and her impending marriage to Dynast Dalan, was now down and lay heavy against her slender neck.  
  
"Obi-Wan being sent away to that isolated world," Onara said. "Anakin having been taken from him. It's all my fault."  
  
"Onara, it's not your fault. It was the Council's decision. And it's not unprecedented. Sometimes it is deemed, for various reason, that a Jedi needs time to reevaluate his or her life within the Order."  
  
"But it's a punishment, isn't it?"  
  
"Not exactly. More like a rehabilitation. Once Obi-Wan has completed this retreat, Anakin will be returned to him."  
  
Onara stared out at the darkness surrounding the manor. Then she suddenly turned and moved into Sinja-Bau's arms. The ex-Jedi smiled gently as she did so. Over the last few days Onara had grown in so many ways, but inside she was still the little girl who desperately missed her father. Onara lowered her head on Sinja-Bau's chest, her eyes filling with tears.  
  
"If only I hadn't begged him to lie with me the night of the blessing ceremony," she sniffed. "He didn't want to, but I was thinking only of myself. I didn't want Edress to be my first. I wanted it to be Obi-Wan. Because...because even though I had only known him for that one night, I loved him. I was selfish, just like Grandmother always said I was. I wasn't thinking of what would happen to Obi-Wan as a result of what we did."  
  
Sinja-Bau patted Onara's back. "Oh, my dear, it's not your fault."  
  
"Yes it is," Onara sobbed. "It is. He did all these things the Council accused him of because me."  
  
"Yes, he did do all those things for you. And for Ben. And, I can assure you, if he had it all to do again, he would. Without hesitation."  
  
Onara wept for a bit, then pulled away from Sinja-Bau. She looked up at her, her face wet and reddened.  
  
"I had thought not to marry Dalan. Do you know why?"  
  
Sinja-Bau shook her head as she stroked Onara's face. "No, dear. Why?"  
  
"Because I was hoping there was still some way Obi-Wan and I could be together. But it will never happen. Because I can't let it happen, can I? He's a Jedi Knight and that is his destiny. To take any other path would destroy him. I see that now. But I won't do as he asked me to do."  
  
Onara stepped back from Sinja-Bau and lifted her chin proudly. "My son's name is Ben Gavon Kenobi. The priestess would not give my son a name because he was conceived during the blessing ceremony. So be it. Obi-Wan and I named him. And I will not change it."  
  
Onara then stopped, her throat working as she gazed sadly over at Sinja- Bau. "I know why Obi-Wan is asking me to do this, not to tell Ben about him. He thinks it's what best for Ben. But, he's wrong. My dear sweet love is so terribly wrong. There is nothing I wouldn't do for him if he asked it of me, but this I will not do. I'm going to tell Ben all about his father when he's old enough to understand."  
  
Sinja-Bau shook her head and, taking Onara's arm, squeezed it. "Why wait until then."  
  
Onara looked at her for a moment, then smiled. Leaning over, she quickly kissed Sinja-Bau on the cheek. Turning away, she went back into the manor. Sinja-Bau remained outside. She looked up at the night sky, marveling over the countless stars as they twinkled in the darkness. Stars in the darkness, she thought. That was what Onara and Obi-Wan and Ben were. Stars in the darkness.  
  
Then she tilted her head as she thought about Obi-Wan's apprentice. She had not been entirely truthful with Obi-Wan. There was much about the visions she'd had during her madness that she remembered, but she had seen no reason to share them with him. At least not yet.  
  
When she had first seen Anakin, seen his handsome boyish face and those bright blue eyes, a chill of foreboding had raced through her body. But, at the same time, hope had flared within her, as bright as a flame. The boy, she knew, was the source of both darkness and light, of sorrow and hope.  
  
As for Onara, Sinja-Bau had been mistaken and correct about her being the Mother of the Light. Onara had given birth to Obi-Wan's son, a child who was as bright with the Force as was his father. But Onara was not the woman Sinja-Bau had seen in her visions. She resembled her; the same dark eyes and hair, but was not her.  
  
That woman Sinja-Bau had yet to meet. But, someday, meet her she would. She knew this, just as she knew that one day Onara and Obi-Wan would again be together. But all this Sinja-Bau kept to herself for she also knew that the future was in motion, responding to the decisions made by those living in the present, and that such decisions must be made freely, without the burden or the yoke of visions weighing them down. Then, just before she turned to go back into the manor, she looked once more up at the night and smiled. Stars in the darkness.  
  
-------------  
  
Onara smiled as she looked down at her son as he lay in her arms, gazing quietly up at her with those eyes so like his father's. Then she glanced over to where Dalan was sitting in a chair across from her. He looked up from the book he was reading and gave her a warm smile. Onara returned his smile, then looked back at Ben.  
  
"Once upon a time," she began in a soft voice, the warmth of the fire driving away the coldness of the winter air outside the manor she and Dalan now shared as husband and wife, "there was a brave Jedi Knight by the name of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He carried a sword made of light and with it did great and wonderful things. The brave Jedi also had a son and his name was Ben."  
  
Ben smiled when he heard his name.  
  
"Yes, that's right, darling, it's you. One day your father went into the dark forest to slay a terrible beast called the valkon that was preying upon all the villages...."  
  
The End  
  
To be continued in the sequel titled "Stars in the Darkness"  
  
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Thanks to you all for reading and commenting on this fic. I'm glad you took the time to read it and found it enjoyable. :) I hope to have the sequel ready to go sometime soon. Thanks!!!! 


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